JB Pritzker

DemocratGovernor of Illinois

Age	61 (b. 1965-01-19)
Gender	Male
In office since	2019-01-01 (~7 yrs)
Race / ethnicity	White (Jewish, of Ukrainian-Jewish descent)
Religion	Jewish
Education	Milton Academy (Massachusetts); B.A. in Political Science, Duke University (1987); J.D., Northwestern University School of Law (1993)
Prior occupation	Businessman and venture capitalist; co-founder of Pritzker Group Private Capital (with brother Anthony, 2002) and Chicago Ventures; founder of New World Ventures; founder of 1871 digital startup incubator; heir to the Hyatt Hotels family fortune
Military service	No
Birthplace	Palo Alto, California
Marital status	Married — Mary Kathryn "M.K." Pritzker (née Muenster)
Children	2
Residence	Chicago, Illinois (Gold Coast/Astor Street area); official residence Illinois Executive Mansion, Springfield
Notable relatives	Sister Penny Pritzker, U.S. Secretary of Commerce (2013-2017); brother Anthony Pritzker, businessman; member of the Pritzker family (Hyatt Hotels founders); father Donald Pritzker co-founded Hyatt; uncle Jay Pritzker co-founded Hyatt

Wikipedia

Pending research: languages · openly lgbtq.

Career & politics

First elected	2018
Previous offices	Chair, Illinois Human Rights Commission (2003-2006, appointed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich)
Leadership	Governor of Illinois (43rd), since January 14, 2019 · National co-chair, Hillary Clinton 2008 presidential campaign
Ideology	Progressive Democrat; enacted progressive policies including a $15 minimum wage, recreational cannabis legalization, abortion-rights expansion, cash-bail elimination, and an assault-weapons ban
Signature legislation	Lifting Up Illinois Working Families Act (2019) - raised state minimum wage to $15/hour by 2025 · Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act (2019) - legalized recreational marijuana effective Jan 1, 2020 · Reproductive Health Act (2019) - established abortion as a fundamental right in Illinois · Rebuild Illinois capital plan (2019) - ~$45 billion infrastructure program · SAFE-T Act (2021) - eliminated cash bail (first state to do so) · Protect Illinois Communities Act (2023) - banned sale/manufacture of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines

Financial

Net worth: estimate

Pritzker Group Private Capital (co-founder/private equity)	private_equity · 2025
Hyatt Hotels family fortune (inherited interests/trusts)	business_owned · 2025

Top donors: Self-funded (J.B. Pritzker personal contributions, ~$171.5M in 2018 and ~$145M-152M in 2022) ($171,500,000 (2018 cycle))

Scandals & crimes ledger

resolved — Cook County Inspector General Finds 'Scheme to Defraud' in Property Tax Appeal

financial/corruption · 2015-10-06 · Cook County Office of the Independent Inspector General · Inspector General Patrick Blanchard issued a formal report finding that Pritzker obtained $331,432 in property tax refunds and reductions through a 'scheme to defraud,' in which toilets were removed from a Gold Coast mansion ten days before a county appraisal inspection so the property would be classified as uninhabitable and reassessed at a lower value. The IG report referenced potential violations of state perjury law and federal mail fraud and conspiracy statutes. No criminal prosecution was initiated. Pritzker voluntarily repaid approximately $330,000 to the Cook County Treasurer's office by early October 2018.

Cook County's Independent Inspector General formally found in September 2018 that JB Pritzker, through the removal of toilets from his Gold Coast mansion, participated in a 'scheme to defraud' Cook County of approximately $331,000 in property taxes across tax years 2012–2016. The report cited sworn affidavits containing false representations and referenced potential federal mail fraud and state perjury violations. No criminal charges were filed. Pritzker repaid the full amount in October 2018, before he won the gubernatorial election.

Sources: CBS News Chicago · Chicago Sun-Times · NBC Chicago