42. Patrick Ryan 44. James Crown 43 Martha Lavey Age: 55 Occupation: Artistic director, Steppenwolf Theatre Company Next Back A theatrical double threat, Lavey steered her trailblazing company through another hot season, highlighted by a sizzling revival of Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, starring Amy Morton and Tracy Letts (No. 50), which transferred … Read more
72. Bill Daley 74. Roger Ebert 73 Patrick O’Connor Age: 58 Occupation: Alderman, 40th Ward Next Back Rahm’s floor leader sits at the top of the heap in the City Council. Exhibit A: He chairs a powerful committee that handles collective bargaining. Photograph: NANCY STONE/CHICAGO TRIBUNE
5. Jerry Reinsdorf 7. Michael Sacks 6 Penny Pritzker Age: 53 Occupation: Chairman and CEO, PSP Capital Partners Next Back Democratic politics, education reform, employment initiatives, Jewish causes: J.B.’s tireless older sister is deeply involved with them all. An Obama loyalist who could soon be rewarded with a plum White House position, the civic-minded billionaire … Read more
12. Lester Crown 14. Joe Mansueto 13 Dick Durbin Age: 68 Occupation: U.S. senator Next Back Durbin has never craved the spotlight, yet in his quiet and effective way, he has become one of the Senate’s most influential leaders. Being a mentor and early supporter of Barack Obama certainly hasn’t hurt, but Durbin also wins … Read more
46. Dan Webb 48. Ann Lurie 47 Neil Bluhm Age: 75 Occupation: Managing principal, Walton Street Capital Next Back This billionaire’s enormous real-estate portfolio and connections to Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Michael Madigan (No. 2) may give him swagger, but he also holds serious influence through his Rivers Casino in Des Plaines. The closest … Read more
81. Christopher Crane 83. Anne Pramaggiore 82 Jorge Ramirez Age: 42 Occupation: President, Chicago Federation of Labor Next Back A formidable union advocate on everything from pension reforms to O’Hare janitorial contracts, Ramirez will play a crucial role if Chicago gets that casino everyone keeps talking about. Photograph: LANE CHRISTIANSEN/CHICAGO TRIBUNE
Here are the 12 power 100 listees with the most major civic, corporate, and nonprofit board memberships—and how they are connected by just five cultural institutions alone.
50. Tracy Letts 52. Richard M. Daley 51 Terry Mazany Age: 56 Occupation: CEO, Chicago Community Trust Next Back This polyglot manages the second-largest foundation in Illinois ($1.6 billion in assets). He’s on this list because he wields sizable influence in disparate circles, from schools (he was interim CEO of CPS) to the Chicago Fed. … Read more
78. Matt Hynes 80. Joseph Ferguson 79 Barbara Byrd-Bennett Age: 62 Occupation: CEO, Chicago Public Schools Next Back This 2012 hire didn’t make any critical mistakes during last fall’s teachers’ strike. Now she is trying to use the management skills she honed in Cleveland and Detroit to jump-start CPS. Whether she will exercise real authority … Read more
67. John Calamos Sr. 69. Michael Ferro Jr. 68 Richard Driehaus Age: 70 Occupation: Chairman, Driehaus Capital Management Next Back His genius for investments propels a firm that handles $8.4 billion in assets. His passion for fine art fuels a River North museum. And last February, his loyalty to DePaul (his alma mater) landed its … Read more
