Gigi Pritzker Biography

Jean "Gigi" Pritzker, the granddaughter of A.N. Pritzker and daughter of Jay Pritzker is an American billionaire, filmmaker, and philanthropist. She is a member of the Pritzker family.

Early life and education

Pritzker was born to a Jewish family in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Marian "Cindy" (née Friend) and Jay Pritzker. Her father diversified the Chicago-based family business, the Marmon Group - along with his brothers Robert Pritzker and Donald Pritzker - building it into a portfolio of over 60 diversified industrial corporations. They also created the Hyatt Hotel chain in 1957 and owned Braniff Airlines from 1983"1988. The family has been divesting its assets: in 2006, the family sold Conwood, a smokeless tobacco company, for $3.5 billion to cigarette company Reynolds American Inc; in 2007, the family sold control of the Marmon Group to Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway for $4.5 billion; and in 2010, the family sold its majority stake in Transunion, the Chicago-based credit reporting company, for an undisclosed amount to Chicago-based private-equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners. Pritzker graduated with a B.A. in anthropology from Stanford University.

Career

After taking courses in documentary film making, she co-founded - along with her friend Deborah Del Prete - the Culver City, California based film production and financing company Odd Lot Entertainment. In 2010, Odd Lot produced the film Rabbit Hole starring Nicole Kidman and in 2011, produced the film Drive starring Ryan Gosling. In November 2013, Odd Lot is scheduled to release Ender's Game a film starring Harrison Ford and based on Orson Scott Card's science fiction tale. Pritzker also develops and produces live stage productions - along with her partner Ted Rawlins - through their company Relevant Theatricals. Relevant Theatricals produced the play Million Dollar Quartet.

Personal life and philanthropy

Pritzker is president and a trustee of the Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation and the Chicago Children's Theatre. She is married to Michael Pucker and has three children.