6 Rocky Wirtz Age: 61 Occupation:Co-owner, United Center; chairman, Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago baron’s overlapping spheres of influence—real estate, his $2 billion spirits distributorship, and sports—make him a perennial power player, but he moves up the list five spots post–Stanley Cup. He spoke to Chicago on January 26. What’s your day job? I kid about … Read more
10 Theaster Gates Age: 40 Occupation: Artist He has been called an artiste, a developer, a civic treasure, and a “cultural center point”—that coming from the mouth of the No. 1 most powerful guy in town. But to those who know him, the South Side–raised Gates is a classic operator who has seized upon the art … Read more
47 Veronica Roth Age: 25 Occupation: Author Your teenager who hates to read—well, he’s had his face buried in Roth’s Divergent series for weeks. Now he’s begging to see the Chicago-filmed movie (which stars Shailene Woodley and Kate Winslet, along with the Navy Pier Ferris wheel and other recognizable local spots). What’s even more extraordinary … Read more
74 Jorge Ramirez Age: 43 Occupation: President, Chicago Federation of Labor Union membership is shrinking, but Ramirez still dictates the course of a consortium of groups that is 500,000 people strong. And neither Pat Quinn (No. 50) nor Rahm Emanuel (No. 1) makes a move on pensions or wage issues without consulting this guy first. Photo: … Read more
27 Garry McCarthy Age: 54 Occupation: Superintendent, Chicago Police Department Dropping rates of homicide and overall crime (down 18 percent and 16 percent, respectively, in 2013) pushed the top cop’s rank up from No. 30 last year. These stats, however, came at a price: $96 million in overtime pay, triple what was budgeted for the year. … Read more
48 Tom Ricketts Age: 50 Occupation: Chairman and co-owner, Chicago Cubs Ricketts owns one of the most powerful sports brands in the universe. And when the Cubs finally play well, the world will likely be watching—and buying—as much of the team as it can. But five years into the Ricketts era, the team enters this season … Read more
33 Paul Kahan Age: 51 Occupation: Restaurateur This food genie (Blackbird, Avec, Publican, Big Star) doesn’t just launch trends, he creates tidal waves. No one carries more weight on the local culinary scene right now than this chef, who knows what Chicagoans want to eat next and delivers it first. He spoke to Chicago on January … Read more
17 Dick Durbin Age: 69 Occupation: U.S. Senator This Obama loyalist is on track to make history in November as the first Illinois Democrat to win four terms in the Senate. Despite an October kerfuffle with the White House over an off-the-cuff Facebook remark, he’s still a pivotal player on big issues such as spending and immigration … Read more
45 Richard Gonzalez Age: 60 Occupation: Chairman and CEO, AbbVie What a way to start your first CEO job: with revelations from Crain’s that you never earned a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree, despite claims to the contrary on your employer-disseminated bio. (A spokesperson called the misstatements the result of a “clerical error.”) But … Read more
35 Brad Keywell Age: 44 Occupation: Cofounder and managing partner, Lightbank; cofounder, Groupon The brain behind Chicago Ideas Week and the $200 million venture capital fund Lightbank continues to make connections and bet big on tech startups. In November, he introduced the Warehouse, a coworking space at Lightbank HQ that now houses 10 companies (and charges … Read more
