Jennifer N. Pritzker Biography

Jennifer Natalya Pritzker (born James N. Pritzker in 1951) is a retired Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Army, founder of the Pritzker Military Library, and billionaire investor 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 child of Audrey (née Gilbert) and Robert Pritzker, and a grandchild of A.N. Pritzker. She has two siblings: Linda Pritzker (b. 1953) and Karen Pritzker Vlock (b. 1958). Her parents divorced in 1979. In 1981, her mother remarried Albert B. Ratner, the co-chairman of Cleveland-based real estate developer Forest City Enterprises. In 1980, her father remarried to Irene Dryburgh with whom he had two children: Matthew Pritzker and Liesel Pritzker Simmons.

Her father diversified the Chicago-based family business, the Marmon Group " along with his brothers Jay 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.

Career

In 1974, Pritzker enlisted in the U.S. Army serving in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where she rose to the rank of Sergeant. In 1979, she was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and then served with the VII Corps at Kelly Barracks, Germany. She completed active duty in 1985. She then served 16 years in the National Guard. In 2001, after retiring, Pritzker was promoted to the honorary rank of Colonel in the Illinois Army National Guard. In 2003, she founded the Pritzker Military Library. She serves on the board of Connecticut-based private equity firm Squadron Capitol LLC.

While in the military, Pritzker was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Achievement Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Good Conduct Medal, the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, the National Defense Service Medal with Star, the Antarctic Service Medal, the Outstanding Military Volunteer Service Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with 20 year Device, the NCO Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon, the State of Louisiana Legion of Merit, the State of Illinois Long and Honorable Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the State of Illinois Military Attendance Ribbon with Numeral 7, the U.S. Army Parachute Badge and the Air Assault Badge as well as the Parachute Badges of Israel, Russia, Canada, Holland, United Kingdom, and Poland.

Philanthropy

She is the founder of the Tawani Foundation which aims "to enhance the awareness and understanding of the importance of the Citizen Soldier; to preserve unique sites of significance to American and military history; to foster health and wellness projects for improved quality of life; and to honor the service of military personnel, past, present and future." In 2003, the Tawani Foundation made a $1.35 million donation to the University of California's Palm Center to study the feasibility of transgender people serving in the military and in the ranks of police and fire departments. In 2013, she donated $25 million to Norwich University, which developed and established the first Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program in the country.

Personal life

Pritzker is divorced with three children. On August 16, 2013, a statement released to employees at Tawani Enterprises and the Pritzker Military Library read:

This announcement made Pritzker the world's first openly transgender billionaire.