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Jay Pritzker
Jay Pritzker
Born	Jay Arthur Pritzker; August 26, 1922; Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	January 23, 1999 (aged 76); Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Education	University of Chicago; Northwestern University (BS, JD)
Known for	Co-founder of Hyatt Corporation
Spouse	Cindy Friend
Children	5, including Thomas, John, Daniel, Gigi
Parent	Abram Nicholas Pritzker (father)
Relatives	See Pritzker family

Jay Arthur Pritzker (August 26, 1922 – January 23, 1999) was an American businessman and member of the Pritzker family. He was a founder of the Hyatt Corporation, having purchased the first Hyatt Hotel in 1957, and was responsible for the corporation's evolution into a multinational hospitality conglomerate.

Early life and education

Pritzker was born in Chicago, Illinois to Jewish parents. Pritzker's grandparents emigrated to the United States in 1881.^[1] A son of Fanny (née Doppelt) and Abram Nicholas Pritzker, he had two brothers: Donald and Robert Pritzker.^[2] At the age of 14, Pritzker was admitted to the University of Chicago.^[3] He then went on to graduate with a B.S. from Northwestern University in 1941 and a J.D. from the Northwestern University School of Law in 1947.^[2]^[4]^[5] Pritzker served in WWII as a naval aviator.^[6]

Career

Pritzker diversified the Chicago-based family business—which then consisted of the Pritzker & Pritzker law firm run by his uncle, Harry, and the investments made by his father and his uncle, Jack — into the Marmon Group holding company.^{[citation needed]} With his brother, Robert, he built a portfolio of 60 diversified industrial corporations. He created the Hyatt Hotel chain in 1957 with his brother Donald Pritzker and owned Braniff Airlines from 1983–1988.^{[citation needed]}

In 1979 he established the Pritzker Architecture Prize. In 1982, he acquired Ticketmaster and expanded it before selling 80% for more than $325 million to Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen in 1993.^[7]^[8]^[9]

In 1979, Pritzker received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement.^[10]

In 1996, he and his wife, Cindy, received the National Building Museum's Honor Award.^[11] In 2004, the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, designed by architect Frank Gehry, was completed as part of Millennium Park in downtown Chicago.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life

Pritzker was married to Marian "Cindy" Friend, the daughter of Illinois appellate judge Hugo Friend,^[12]^[13] for 51 years.^[14]^[15] They had five children:^[16]

Nancy Pritzker (born 1948), died by suicide in 1972 at age 24. The University of Chicago medical school is named for her.^[17]
Thomas Pritzker (born 1950), served as chairman of Hyatt Foundation, chairman of Marmon Holdings, and as a director of Royal Caribbean, and the Pritzker Foundation.^[16]
John Pritzker (born 1953), runs his own private equity firm Geolo Capital, which focuses on investments in hospitality, entertainment and health and wellness companies. In 2010, he purchased a majority interest in the Joie de Vivre hotel chain and later merging it with the Pomeranc family's Thompson Hotel Group.^[16]
Daniel Pritzker (born 1959), musician and filmmaker who served as a trustee of the Jay Pritzker Foundation along with his wife, Karen. He also founded the Jay Pritzker Academy in Ta Chet, Cambodia; and is a prominent supporter of Providence St. Mel School in Chicago and Tufts University. He is the owner of Jerry Garcia's famed guitar "Wolf", which he purchased at auction for $789,500.
Jean "Gigi" Pritzker (born 1962), film and play producer and is CEO of Odd Lot Entertainment.^[16]