CRAIN'S CHICAGO: The other side of J.B. Pritzker
Lynne Marek of Crain's Chicago Business profiles the Pritzker Group's investment strategies and the advantages of private capital:
Billionaire J.B. Pritzker is known in Chicago for backing flashy digital startups run by people half his age, but that's not where his big money is. It's in metal castings makers and pallets.
Mr. Pritzker and his older brother, Tony, have dropped more than $1 billion of their Pritzker Group's funds on definitely unsexy companies across the country, with plans to double these investments. Mr. Pritzker won't say what portion of their $6 billion is tied up in the eight companies they already own, but their goal means the group's private-capital arm, which buys, sells and operates established businesses, eventually will be its biggest.
