Penny Pritzker

Before serving as U.S. Secretary of Commerce under President Obama, Pritzker — a billionaire businesswoman, civic leader, and scion of one of Chicago’s most powerful real estate dynasties — built a formidable reputation as a real estate entrepreneur. 

She co-founded Artemis Real Estate Partners in 2009, an investment management firm that backs multifamily, industrial, office, retail, hospitality, and senior housing across the U.S. She also founded PSP Partners, a global private investment firm with Pritzker Realty Group as its real estate arm.

Pritzker cut her teeth in the industry at her family’s Hyatt Hotels empire and later developed the Vi senior living community concept (formerly Classic Residence by Hyatt).

Throughout her career, she has overseen billions in transactions and development projects, ranging from luxury senior living to industrial logistics centers. A key figure in Chicago’s business community, she has leveraged her deep pockets and political influence to shape development trends in the city and beyond, maintaining the Pritzker family’s legacy as titans of American real estate.

— Caleb McCullough