John A. Pritzker (born 1953) is an American billionaire and investor. He is a member of the Pritzker family, the grandson of A.N. Pritzker and son of Jay Pritzker.
Early life and education Pritzker was born in Chicago, Illinois,Monterey County Weekly: "Hyatt heir John Pritzker's vision of turning Carmel Valley Ranch into an always-open, everyone-welcome version of summer camp" By Josh Sens may 16, 2013 the son of Marian "Cindy" (née Friend) and Jay Pritzker. Pritzker graduated with a B.A. from Menlo College and attended University of Denver.Forbes: The World's Billionaires - John Pritzker June 2015 In 1957, Jay founded Hyatt Hotel and, along with his brothers Robert Pritzker and Donald Pritzker diversified the Chicago-based family business into the Marmon Group building it into a portfolio of over 60 diversified industrial corporations and owned Braniff Airlines from 1983 to 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;Chicago Tribune: "Pritzker family could soon own less than half of Hyatt" By Julie Wernau April 19, 2011 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 1972, Pritzker started his career working in the family business, Hyatt Hotels, where in 1984, he rose to become Managing Director and Divisional Vice President.Geolo Capital: John Pritzker – Founding Partner and Director retrieved July 21, 2013 In 1988, he left Hyatt to pursue his own business ventures,W Magazine: "Pritzker's Prize by Jane Larkworthy August 2010 including Ticketmaster.Hotel Management Magazine: "One on One with John Pritzker" By Ruthanne Terrero January 21, 2011 In 1996, he formed Mandara Spa,BusinessWeek: "A Hyatt Heir Who Thinks Small Is Beautiful" by Nadja Brandt February 16, 2012 a chain of 72 resort spas. In 2000, 40% of the company was sold to Shiseido Co.Honolulu star Bulletin: "Spa firm taps Hawaii for worldwide base" By Russ Lynch May 16, 2000 In 2001, the remaining 60% was sold to Steiner Leisure Limited, a Nasdaq (STNR) listed company.Travel Weekly: "Steiner Leisure to buy stake in Mandara Spa" July 2, 2001 In 2005, Pritzker founded the private equity firm Geolo Capital with his Mandara business partner Tom Gottlieb; Geolo Capital focused on investments in hospitality, entertainment, and health & wellness companies.Chicago Tribune: "The Pritzker family tree" By Melissa Harris and Julie Wernau December 18, 2011 In 2009, Geolo Capital bought the iconic Carmel Valley Ranch from Blackstone. The resort was reimagined and opened in 2012. Soon after the resort's opening, Geolo Capital purchased a majority interest in the Joie de Vivre boutique hotel chain. In October 2011, Geolo Capital merged the 30 hotel Joie de Vivre chain with the 12 hotel Thompson Hotel Group to form Commune Hotels & Resorts.San Francisco Gate: John Pritzker, Hyatt heir, likes boutique hotels" by Nadja Brandt February 19, 2012 In 2012, Commune operated 46 hotels, which generated $450 million in revenues.San Francisco Business Journal: "Commune is all inn" by Renée Frojo November 30, 2012 In January 2016, Commune Hotels merged with Destination Hotels to form Two Roads Hospitality. With that merger, the new company managed over 97 hotels across six brands and annual revenues of over $2.3 billion. In November 2018, Two Roads Hospitality closed on its sale to Hyatt Corporation for a reported price of $480 million.
Personal life and philanthropy
Pritzker and his former wife Lisa Stone have three children. He is the chair of the John Pritzker Family Fund, whose mission is to help people lead fulfilling and healthy lives in vibrant communities, with investments in mental health and healthcare, democracy and civic health, Jewish life, and the arts. The fund was a major supporter of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), providing a gift of nearly $60 million to fund the construction of the UCSF Nancy Friend Pritzker Building for Psychiatry, which opened in 2022. Pritzker serves on the Executive Council of UCSF Health and the Board of Trustees of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where he chairs the Visiting Committee on Modern and Contemporary Art. He is also a board member of the Bernard Osher Foundation, a member of the Emeritus Board of Tipping Point Community, and a past president of the San Francisco Jewish Community Federation. In 2025, Pritzker donated 188 Dada and Surrealist works by 37 artists — collectively known as the Bluff Collection — to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, including works by Man Ray, Max Ernst, Marcel Duchamp, Suzanne Duchamp, Jean Arp, Lee Miller, and Francis Picabia. Pritzker married Mo KC Pritzker in 2021. Together they serve as co-Trustees of the Mojo Philanthropic Fund, which focuses on supporting innovation and imagination.
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