What is Eychaner up to? Few people seem to know—and that’s just how the wealthy radio station owner likes it. Behind the scenes, however, he’s a macher of the first order. If Hillary makes it into the White House, she’ll have this Democratic megadonor, in part, to thank.
Name someone in Chicago’s power crowd, particularly its business elites, and chances are that Rogers has placed, advised, or mentored them—including a gal named Hobson (No. 18) and a fella named Obama. He marries well too: First wife Desiree Rogers went on to be Johnson Publishing’s CEO, and ex-wife No. 2, Sharon Fairley, was just … Read more
Webb’s slogan should be “Better Call Dan.” If major wrongdoing is suspected, he’s the guy you want. Webb’s latest: investigating Rahm’s law office and helping Ferguson, Missouri, hash out a settlement with the feds over police abuses.
Hers is the hand that controls a spigot pouring out $220 million a year in grants, more than any other foundation in Chicago. Though Stasch has held the top job for barely a year, she’s already well into a major overhaul: MacArthur is narrowing its focus, seeking a bigger impact in fewer areas (justice, climate … Read more
Chicago’s biggest emcee since Kanye, Chance has been on fire lately. He released his first-ever free album on iTunes (the critically worshiped Surf , with bandmate Donnie Trumpet), headlined Pitchfork, and became the first-ever unsigned act to perform on Saturday Night Live. All the while, he used his platform (1.3 million Twitter followers and counting) to … Read more
Barack’s bestie, entrusted to preserve the president’s legacy, is raising the dough and ratcheting up the planning for what will be the most significant civic project in Chicago since Millennium Park: the Obama library, a potential game changer for the economically depressed South Side. If only we knew where it’ll be: Jackson Park or Washington … Read more
If all had gone according to plan, Healey would be scrambling right now to get Chicago in tiptop shape to host the Summer Olympics. Instead, as head of McPier since April, she’s scrambling to keep tourists and conventioneers coming to the city. The headwinds are strong, including $3.5 billion in bond debt, flat hotel occupancy, … Read more
The future of the Art Institute of Chicago is in plastics. That is, plastics mogul Stefan Edlis and his wife, Gael Neeson, who last April donated 44 works of pop art valued at $400 million—the biggest gift in the museum’s history. While a $35 million cash gift from the late Dorothy Braude Edinburg made news … Read more
This political wunderkind—and grandson of the legendary political strategist Sam Patch—began the year walking a fine line between his boss (the mayor), his former boss (Toni Preckwinkle), and his own ambitions. A loyal soldier, Summers must have heard the growing chatter that he’d be a darn good candidate to pick up the pieces of Emanuel’s … Read more
Calling it 1871 3.0, this serial entrepreneur led the Merchandise Mart–based tech hub in yet another expansion—and to a No. 1 ranking (from a Swedish research firm that studies tech centers) as the nation’s best university-affiliated incubator. Power Quote “Whatever was yesterday’s miracle is tomorrow’s ‘So what?’ ”
