Jennifer Natalya Pritzker (born James Nicholas Pritzker; August 13, 1950) is an American investor, philanthropist, and member of the
Pritzker family
The Pritzker family is an American family engaged in entrepreneurship and philanthropy, and List of wealthiest families, one of the wealthiest families in the United States of America (staying in the top 10 of ''Forbes'' magazine's "America's Riche ...
. Pritzker retired as a
lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
from the
Illinois Army National Guard (ILARNG) in 2001, and was later made an honorary
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
. Founder of the Tawani Foundation in 1995, Tawani Enterprises in 1996, and the
Pritzker Military Library in 2003, Pritzker has been devoted to
civic applications of inherited and accrued wealth, including significant donations to broaden understanding and support for "
citizen soldiers
__NOTOC__
''Citizen Soldiers: The U.S. Army from the Normandy Beaches to the Bulge to the Surrender of Germany'' is a non-fiction book about World War II written by Stephen E. Ambrose and published in 1997. It deals with Allied soldiers moving in ...
."
In August 2013, Pritzker released a statement to employees at Tawani Enterprises and the Pritzker Military Library that subsequently received wide media coverage, indicating the change from "J. N." to "Jennifer Natalya" to reflect her status as a transgender woman, making her the first and only openly
transgender billionaire.
Early life
Born James Nicholas Pritzker
to
Robert Pritzker and Audrey (née Gilbert) Pritzker in
Chicago, Illinois
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
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, subdivision_name ...
.
She grew up as a member of the
Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
Pritzker family
The Pritzker family is an American family engaged in entrepreneurship and philanthropy, and List of wealthiest families, one of the wealthiest families in the United States of America (staying in the top 10 of ''Forbes'' magazine's "America's Riche ...
as the granddaughter of family patriarch
A.N. Pritzker
Abram Nicholas Pritzker (January 6, 1896 – February 8, 1986) was an American businessman and member of the Pritzker family.
Early life and education
Abram was the son of Ukrainian Jewish immigrants, Annie P. (née Cohn) and Nicholas J. Pritzk ...
.
[ She has two siblings, ]Linda Pritzker
Linda Pritzker (born September 1953) also known by the name Lama Tsomo is an American lama in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. She is a spiritual teacher, author, philanthropist, and co-founder of the Namchak Foundation and Namchak Retreat Ranch ...
(b. 1953) and Karen Pritzker Vlock (b. 1958).[Wall Street Journal: "Caught a Good Break"]
November 26, 2013 Her parents divorced in 1979, and she has two half-siblings, Matthew Pritzker
Matthew Pritzker (born May 28, 1982) is an American investor and businessperson based in Chicago, Illinois. In 2008 he founded the Matthew Pritzker Company. The company’s focus is on building businesses across a variety of industries—includin ...
and Liesel Pritzker Simmons
Liesel Pritzker Simmons (born Liesel Anne Pritzker), stage name Liesel Matthews, is an American heiress and former child actress. She starred as Sara Crewe in ''A Little Princess'', a 1995 film adaptation of the Frances Hodgson Burnett classic, ...
, from the remarriage of her father, Robert
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...
, to Irene Dryburgh in 1980.[CNN Money: "THE PRITZKERS UNVEILING A PRIVATE FAMILY Can you believe it? These billionaires actually like each other. But as Pritzkers proliferate, a worry arises: Can they maintain their striking success – and keep everyone happy?" By Ford S. Worthy]
April 25, 1988 (Her mother also remarried, to Albert B. Ratner in 1981).
Military career
Pritzker says her most memorable experiences in life were in Israel in October 1973 when she witnessed events of the Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, also known as the Ramadan War, the October War, the 1973 Arab–Israeli War, or the Fourth Arab–Israeli War, was an armed conflict fought from October 6 to 25, 1973 between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egy ...
.[ Pritzker enlisted in the U.S. Army on February 8, 1974, and served with the HQ Troop, and with the B Troop, 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, ]82nd Airborne Division
The 82nd Airborne Division is an Airborne forces, airborne infantry division (military), division of the United States Army specializing in Paratrooper, parachute assault operations into denied areasSof, Eric"82nd Airborne Division" ''Spec Ops ...
based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, rising to the rank of Sergeant.[ Pritzker's roles while enlisted included aviation repair parts clerk, rifleman, and fire team leader.
After completing military service in February 1977,][ Pritzker enrolled at ]Loyola University of Chicago
Loyola University Chicago (Loyola or LUC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1870 by the Society of Jesus, Loyola is one of the largest Catholic universities in the United States. Its namesake is Saint Ign ...
, majoring in history, and entered its Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps
The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC ( or )) is a group of college- and university-based officer-training programs for training commissioned officers of the United States Armed Forces.
Overview
While ROTC graduate officers serve in all ...
program.[ Pritzker graduated with a BA in History in May 1979, and received commission as an Army officer that same month.][
Pritzker first served with the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, ]101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) ("Screaming Eagles") is a light infantry division of the United States Army that specializes in air assault operations. It can plan, coordinate, and execute multiple battalion-size air assault operati ...
based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, with duty assignments that included leading rifle and TOW
Towing is coupling two or more objects together so that they may be pulled by a designated power source or sources. The towing source may be a motorized land vehicle, vessel, animal, or human, and the load being anything that can be pulled. Th ...
platoons, and time in the Commandant Division, and the Anti-Armor School.[ Pritzker served as a staff officer with the ]VII Corps 7th Corps, Seventh Corps, or VII Corps may refer to:
* VII Corps (Grande Armée), a corps of the Imperial French army during the Napoleonic Wars
* VII Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army prior to and during World War I
* VII R ...
at Kelley Barracks, in Germany, from 1984–1985.[ Her active duty ended in 1985.][ After 16 years in the Army Reserves and Illinois Army National Guard,] Pritzker retired from the Army National Guard
The Army National Guard (ARNG), in conjunction with the Air National Guard, is an organized Militia (United States), militia force and a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States A ...
as a lieutenant colonel, in 2001. After retiring, Pritzker was made an honorary Illinois colonel.[
While serving, 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
A Reserve Good Conduct Medal refers to any one of the five military conduct awards, four of which are currently issued and one of which was previously issued, by the United States Armed Forces to members of the Reserve and National Guard. The pri ...
with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, the National Defense Service Medal with Star, the Antarctic Service Medal
The Antarctica Service Medal (ASM) was established by the United States Congress on July 7, 1960, under s:Public Law 86-600, Public Law 600 of the 86th United States Congress, 86th Congress. The medal was intended as a awards and decorations of ...
, 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 Service Ribbon (ASR) is a military award of the United States Army that was established by the Secretary of the Army on 10 April 1981 as announced in Department of the Army General Order 15, dated 10 October 1990.
History
Effective 1 Au ...
, 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.[
Pritzker earned airborne badges from Israel, Russia, Canada, the Netherlands, and Great Britain,][ as well as from Poland;][ according to Steven Mrozek, "Most memorable of these was a parachute jump at the North Pole with the Russians in 1993."][
]
Business career
Pritzker has founded or served with a number of business and philanthropic organizations. In 1996, she incorporated Tawani Enterprises, where she served as president and CEO,[ a business entity with current stated purpose as a "private wealth management company established to manage the personal wealth, philanthropic endeavors, and military interests ... "] Interests of the company include significant Chicago real estate holdings. In 1995, Pritzker created the Tawani Foundation, and in 2003, she founded the Pritzker Military Library, both dedicated to the understanding and support of the "citizen soldier." In addition, Pritzker serves as Chairwoman of the Board of the Connecticut-based private equity firm Squadron Capital LLC, in which she has been identified a principal investor.[ Finally, Pritzker has served as Special Projects Director for the ''National Strategy Forum'', as Chairman of the Board and co-owner of ''National Security Ltd.'' (1988–1995),][ and is active in number of further philanthropic enterprises.][
In 2016, Jennifer Pritzker was presented the Bonham Centre Award from The Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, University of Toronto, for her contributions to the advancement and education of issues around sexual identification.
]
Family businesses
Jennifer Pritzker's father Robert, and Robert's brothers Jay
A jay is a member of a number of species of medium-sized, usually colorful and noisy, passerine birds in the Crow family (biology), family, Corvidae. The evolutionary relationships between the jays and the magpies are rather complex. For examp ...
and Donald, built and diversified a Chicago-based family business, the Marmon Group
Marmon Group is an American industrial holding company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois; founded by Jay Pritzker and Robert Pritzker in 1953 (as Colson Corporation), it has been held by the Berkshire Hathaway group since 2013. It owns companies ...
, into a holding company of more than 60 diverse industrial corporations; they also created the Hyatt Hotel chain in 1957, and owned Braniff Airlines from 1983–1988. The family later began divesting of many of these 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 a 60% stake, and sold control of the Marmon Group to Berkshire Hathaway for $4.5 billion, a sale that it completed in 2013. In 2010, the family sold its majority stake in Transunion
TransUnion is an American consumer credit reporting agency. TransUnion collects and aggregates information on over one billion individual consumers in over thirty countries including "200 million files profiling nearly every credit-active consum ...
, the Chicago-based credit reporting company, to Chicago-based private-equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners for an undisclosed amount. As a member of the Robert's line of the Pritzker family
The Pritzker family is an American family engaged in entrepreneurship and philanthropy, and List of wealthiest families, one of the wealthiest families in the United States of America (staying in the top 10 of ''Forbes'' magazine's "America's Riche ...
, Jennifer Prizker has inherited and accumulated wealth that is estimated at US$1.7 billion.[
]
Philanthropy
Pritzker created the Tawani Foundation in 1995, 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 ]Palm Center
The Palm Center is a think tank founded in 1998 at the University of California, Santa Barbara, that produces scholarship designed to improve the quality of public dialogue about critical and controversial public policy issues. It commissions and d ...
at the University of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara (UC Santa Barbara or UCSB) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Santa Barbara County, California, Santa Barbara, California with 23,196 undergraduate ...
, to study the feasibility of transgender people serving in the military and in the ranks of police and fire departments. In 2013, the Foundation donated $25 million to Norwich University
Norwich University – The Military College of Vermont is a private senior military college in Northfield, Vermont. It is the oldest private and senior military college in the United States and offers bachelor's and master's degrees on-campus ...
, in Northfield, Vermont, the school credited with developing and establishing the first Reserve Officers' Training Corps
The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC ( or )) is a group of college- and university-based officer-training programs for training commissioned officers of the United States Armed Forces.
Overview
While ROTC graduate officers serve in all ...
(ROTC) program in the country. So closely tied is this founder to the Foundation, that news reports of the Foundation's gifts refer to Jennifer Pritzker and the Foundation, interchangeably, as being the donor (e.g., in the Norwich gift).[ In 2016, through her Foundation, Pritzker gave a $2 million donation to create the world's first endowed academic chair of transgender studies, at the ]University of Victoria in British Columbia
The University of Victoria (UVic or Victoria) is a public research university located in the municipalities of Oak Bay and Saanich, British Columbia, Canada. The university traces its roots to Victoria College, the first post-secondary institu ...
; Aaron Devor
Aaron H. Devor (born 1951), is a Canadian sociologist and sexologist known for researching transsexuality and transgender communities. Devor has taught at the University of Victoria since 1989 and is the former dean of graduate studies. Gartner, ...
was chosen as the inaugural chair.
Political causes
Pritzker was a Republican, and major donor to candidates and organizations such as the NRA
The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is a gun rights advocacy group based in the United States. Founded in 1871 to advance rifle marksmanship, the modern NRA has become a prominent gun rights lobbying organization while conti ...
, John McCain
John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two terms ...
, and Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts f ...
. However, as of 2019, she is reevaluating her support, citing the Trump Administration's transgender military ban and other anti-LGBTQ policies: "When the GOP asks me to deliver six- or seven-figure contributions for the 2020 elections, my first response will be: why should I contribute to my own destruction?”.
In August 2020, Pritzker donated $2,000 to the presidential campaign of Joe Biden.
In October 2020, Pritzker donated $100,000 to the Lincoln Project
The Lincoln Project is an American political action committee (PAC) formed in late 2019 by former and current moderate Republicans. During the 2020 presidential election, it aimed to prevent the re-election of Donald Trump and defeat all Rep ...
, led by Republican Strategists, some of whom endorse Joe Biden to prevent the re-election of Donald Trump.
During the 3rd quarter of 2020, Pritzker was recognized as a member of the Chairman's Circle, signifying a $25,000 contribution to the Libertarian Party.
Personal life
Pritzker has a daughter, Tal Hava Pritzker, from a first marriage to Ayelet Pritzker, and two sons, Andrew (b. 1991) and William, from her marriage to Lisa I. Goren. , she was divorced.
On August 16, 2013, a statement was released to employees at Tawani Enterprises and the Pritzker Military Library indicating Pritzker to be the world's first transgender
A transgender (often abbreviated as trans) person is someone whose gender identity or gender expression does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Many transgender people experience dysphoria, which they seek to alleviate through tr ...
billionaire; the announcement read:
On October 31, 2020, Jennifer N. Pritzker married Erin E. Solaro.
References
External links
Colonel (Hon.) (IL) Jennifer N. Pritzker
at the Pritzker Military Museum & Library
The Pritzker Military Museum & Library (formerly Pritzker Military Library) is a non-profit museum and a research library for the study of military history on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. The institution was founded in 2003, and its spe ...
Tawani Foundation
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pritzker, Jennifer N.
1950 births
American billionaires
American LGBT military personnel
American nonprofit executives
American women company founders
American company founders
Businesspeople from Chicago
Female billionaires
Jewish American philanthropists
Illinois National Guard personnel
Illinois Republicans
LGBT conservatism in the United States
LGBT people from Illinois
Living people
Loyola University Chicago alumni
National Guard (United States) officers
Philanthropists from Illinois
Jennifer N.
Transgender Jews
Transgender military personnel
Transgender women
United States Army officers
United States Army soldiers
21st-century American Jews
21st-century American women