« 98. Melody Spann-Cooper100. Marc Weissbluth » AGE: 63 OCCUPATION: Cochair, Obama 2012 Yes, he quit his job as Obama’s chief of staff in November. But he’s still a Daley. And however he re-enters Chicago’s orbit—at the moment, he’s hard at work on his old boss’s reelection campaign—his potential for rising on this list seems … Read more
« 26. Sam Zell28. Lisa Madigan » AGE: 48 OCCUPATION: Superintendent, Chicago Public Schools He’s been handed one of the toughest jobs in the city: fixing the dysfunctional and debt-ridden public schools. But fresh off a tumultuous stint as school superintendent in Rochester, New York, the Haitian-born Brizard has got Rahm Emanuel in his corner, … Read more
« 27. Jean-Claude Brizard29. Otis Moss III » AGE: 45 OCCUPATION: Attorney general, State of Illinois The stepdaughter of House Speaker Michael Madigan (No. 4) made headlines in January when she sued Standard & Poor’s for fraud. But her real power rests in her popularity. Any Illinois Democrat considering a run for governor, attorney general, … Read more
« 25. Ann Lurie27. Jean-Claude Brizard » AGE: 70 OCCUPATION: Chairman, Equity Group Investments Singed by his highly leveraged 2007 buyout of Tribune Co. (owner of this magazine)—which has been mired in bankruptcy since 2008—the fiery billionaire is back to what he does best: buying and selling real estate around the world. A new bauble: … Read more
« 24. Robert Zimmer26. Sam Zell » AGE: 66 OCCUPATION: Philanthropist This unassuming billionaire ranks just above Sam Zell, her late husband’s business partner, because she gives away huge sums with enormous impact. Northwestern University’s cancer center: $10 million. A health care clinic in Kenya: $30 million. And $100 million for the new Children’s Hospital … Read more
RELATED: 100 Most Powerful Chicagoans | Most Powerful Ex-Chicagoans | Power Couples | Power Siblings | Up-and-Comers | Quiz: Do You Know Chicago's Power Players? If you were to get missed calls from these six powerful Chicagoans, whose number would you dial first?
« 23. Roger Ebert25. Ann Lurie » AGE: 64 OCCUPATION: President, University of Chicago A renowned mathematician with connections to the White House (Obama named him to the National Science Board last April), the erudite Zimmer oversees a $3 billion budget at the Midwest’s most prestigious university. But his reach extends beyond academics: He sits … Read more
« 21. Bradley Keywell23. Roger Ebert » AGE: 57 OCCUPATION: CEO, United Continental Holdings Chicago’s place in the global economy relies on its role as a transportation hub—and thus on this Harvard grad, who stepped up from the better-managed Continental side of the 2010 merger. The next test of his power will be whether he … Read more
« 22. Jeff Smisek24. Robert Zimmer » AGE: 69 OCCUPATION: Film critic, Chicago Sun-Times The most recognizable movie critic in the world churns out reviews that can make or break films and dashes off daily tweets to his 580,000 followers. His list of admirers includes filmmakers and studio executives, who take his thoughts to heart. … Read more
« 20. J.B. Pritzker22. Jeff Smisek » AGE: 42 OCCUPATION: Investor and tech entrepreneur He’s quieter than venture capital partner Eric Lefkofsky (No. 10) and former boss Sam Zell (No. 26), but his accomplishments speak volumes. Keywell cofounded not only Groupon but also Lightbank (a business incubator that’s helping Chicago become a tech hub) and … Read more
