« 40. Martha Lavey42. Paul Kahan » AGE: 43 OCCUPATION: Founder and CEO, Citadel The $11.5 billion hedge fund he runs returned 20 percent in 2011, trouncing his competition and burnishing his reputation as one of the sharpest operators in the business. Griffin pours his wealth not only into impressionist art (he’s on ARTnews’ list … Read more
« 63. James Crown65. Dan Webb » AGE: 52 OCCUPATION: Vice chairman, Deloitte DeHaas has her finger in so many pies—she’s the first woman to chair the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, and she sits on several important boards—that one wonders how she has the time to oversee 9,000-plus employees across 12 states for the accounting … Read more
« 39. Ted Phillips41. Ken Griffin » AGE: 54 OCCUPATION: Artistic director, Steppenwolf Theatre More than any other theatre bigwig in Chicago, this savvy tastemaker has the creative power to introduce gutsy American plays—and their authors—to audiences. Case in point: Tracy Letts’s August: Osage County, which went from Steppenwolf to Broadway to the Tony Awards … Read more
« 52. Michael Sacks54. Bill Hybels » AGE: 47 OCCUPATION: Founder and principal, Studio Gang Architects Her forceful ideas are bringing fresh accolades to Chicago’s skyline (Aqua) and won her a MacArthur “genius” grant last fall. True, Gang lost her bid to redo Navy Pier last November, but she’s still the star designer in a … Read more
« 64. Deborah DeHaas66. Joan Harris » AGE: 66 OCCUPATION: Chairman, Winston & Strawn The former U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, who joined the politically connected law firm Winston & Strawn in 1985, is the go-to litigator for white-collar defendants nationwide. MORE ON WEBB: How to Win an Argument RELATED: Most Powerful … Read more
« 65. Dan Webb67. Richard Posner » AGE: 80 OCCUPATION: Philanthropist Last December, President Obama announced his intent to appoint Harris, the patron saint of performing arts in Chicago and widow of the late industrialist Irving Harris, to the Library of Congress Trust Fund Board, which controls the institution’s $125 million in investments. RELATED: Most … Read more
« 3. Jim Skinner5. Rocky Wirtz » AGE: 69 OCCUPATION: Speaker, Illinois House He doesn’t say much. But when the Velvet Hammer—a.k.a. the Real Governor of Illinois—speaks, his word is final. House speaker for 27 of the past 29 years and chairman of the state’s Democratic Party, his latest move is a bold congressional remapping … Read more
« 66. Joan Harris68. Martin Cabrera Jr. » AGE: 73 OCCUPATION: Judge, United States Court of Appeals Averaging a book a year for the past 40 years while also teaching at the University of Chicago and holding down his day job with distinction, Posner ranks as one of the nation’s top thinkers. According to Yale … Read more
« 67. Richard Posner69. Richard Sandor » AGE: 41 OCCUPATION: Founder and CEO, Cabrera Capital Markets This prominent deal broker heads one of the largest Hispanic-owned financial services firms in the United States and is considered the man to call to reach influential Latinos nationwide. In January, Emanuel appointed Cabrera to head the city’s influential … Read more
« 68. Martin Cabrera Jr.70. James Reynolds Jr. » AGE: 70 OCCUPATION: Founder and CEO, Environmental Financial Products Dreaming up ideas that transform industries is Sandor’s stock-in-trade. The father of financial futures, he invented a carbon-trading system aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions and sold it for nearly $600 million in 2010. Now he’s working … Read more
