Robert Pritzker
Robert Alan Pritzker | |
|---|---|
| Born | 30 June 1926 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | 27 October 2011 (aged 85) |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Known for | Founder of The Marmon Group; President of Colson Associates, Inc. |
Robert Alan Pritzker (June 30, 1926 – October 27, 2011) was a prominent American entrepreneur and a distinguished member of the affluent Pritzker family.
Biography
Robert was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Fanny (née Doppelt) and A.N. Pritzker, belonging to the notable Jewish Pritzker family. He had two siblings: Donald Pritzker and Jay Pritzker. In 1946, he obtained a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology, which later honored him with a doctorate in 1984. From 1962 until his passing, he was a member of IIT’s board of trustees and also contributed by teaching evening classes. During the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, he provided instruction on business subjects at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, concentrating on practical acquisition case studies.
He established The Marmon Group, an international network of independent manufacturing and service enterprises that represents half of the Pritzker family’s wealth. His leadership style prioritized decentralization, granting employees autonomy in decision-making to encourage innovation and operational effectiveness. Additionally, he held the position of Chairman at the National Association of Manufacturers for one year.
In 2002, Pritzker stepped down as President of The Marmon Group and assumed the presidency at Colson Associates, Inc., a holding entity managing companies specializing in casters, plastic molding, hardware, and medical devices, including firms such as Acumed, OsteoMed, and Precision Edge Surgical Products Company.
Personal life
Robert Pritzker was married three times:
- His first marriage was to Audrey Frances Gilbert in 1948; they divorced in 1979. Audrey later wed Albert B. Ratner in 1981, co-chairman of Cleveland-based real estate developer Forest City Enterprises. Together they had three children:
- Jennifer N. Pritzker (b. 1950) – retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel and founder of the Pritzker Military Library, mother to three children.
- Linda Pritzker (b. 1953) – practicing psychotherapist and ordained Tibetan Buddhist lama.
- Karen Pritzker Vlock (b. 1958) – spouse of investor Michael Vlock.
- In 1980, he married Irene Dryburgh from Australia, whom he met during her employment at a Hyatt hotel. Before their divorce in 1989, they had two children:
- Matthew Pritzker (b. 1982) – real estate entrepreneur leading the Matthew Pritzker Company; former proprietor of HomeMade Pizza Company and State Street Pictures.
- Liesel Pritzker Simmons (b. 1984) – ex-child actress and co-founder of the IDP Foundation, which creates scalable educational initiatives for underserved populations.
- His third spouse, whom he married in 1994, was Sao Mayari Sargent, daughter of Austrian author Inge Sargent and Sao Kya Seng, the final Saopha of Hsipaw State in Burma.
Despite having access to a corporate jet owned by his family, Pritzker chose to travel coach class regularly, explaining: "If I ask my managers to go coach how can I go first class? That's leadership."
In recognition of his achievements, he received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement in 1983.
His nephew bearing his name, J. B., was elected Governor of Illinois in 2018.
See also
External links
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