76 Robert Clifford Age: 62 Occupation: Founder and principal partner, Clifford Law Offices In 2013, Clifford’s prestigious boutique personal injury firm won a total of $66.9 million in 13 cases, including a $15.5 million lawsuit against University of Chicago Medicine. With elections on the horizon, all the major Democratic pols, from Hillary Clinton on down the … Read more
84 Dan McCaffery Age: 67 Occupation: Chairman and CEO, McCaffery Interests He controls the 500-acre Lakeside development, the city’s next power nexus. Photo: Laura Brown Photography
55 James Crown Age: 60 Occupation: President, Henry Crown & Co. The son of billionaire Lester Crown (No. 18) had a rough year. The president of his family’s private investment firm, he also chairs the JPMorgan Chase risk committee responsible for the trading fiasco known as the London Whale, which generated $6 billion in initial losses … Read more
How do you define power? For the purpose of compiling this list—Chicago’s third annual ranking of the 100 most powerful Chicagoans—we started with proximity. (You don’t spend most of your time in the area? No dice. Sorry, President Obama.) You need not boast riches, pedigree, or position, though those things can help. You must have … Read more
34 James McNerney Jr. Age: 64 Occupation: Chairman and CEO, Boeing This three-sport athlete (hockey, football, and baseball) at Winnetka’s New Trier High School showed a desire to lead from an early age and spent 19 years at GE learning business the Jack Welch way. He joined the Boeing board in 2001—the same year that the … Read more
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
