Robert Alan Pritzker

ROBERT A. PRITZKER (1926-2011)

"CHICAGO-BASED GLOBAL BUSINESS ICON, GENEROUS PHILANTHROPIC PATRON AND DEDICATED CIVIC LEADER"

Robert ("Bob") Pritzker, who was destined to become his family's first engineering/operations man in a family of lawyers, died Thursday, October 27 in Chicago from Parkinson's Disease. He was 85.
Mr. Pritzker built what became the enormously successful privately-held Marmon Group – an international conglomerate of manufacturing and service companies – which formed the core and has been the foundation of the Chicago-based Pritzker family business dynasty. For more than fifty years through 2001 and through hundreds of acquisitions including the 1980 acquisition of Trans Union Corporation, then one of the nation's oldest and most respected New York Stock Exchange companies, Mr. Pritzker led, nurtured and grew the Marmon Group based on his principles of fairness, honesty and ethical business behavior which he instilled throughout the companies' worldwide businesses. During those fifty years, his principles of doing business coupled with his creative and astute business judgment resulted in an astounding increase in the level of the combined revenues from $3 million to $7 billion.

In 2002, Mr. Pritzker, as Chairman and President of the Marmon Group (the Company was subsequently sold in 2008 to Berkshire Hathaway), acquired several caster, hardware and medical device companies creating Colson Associates. Taking on the new challenge at age 76 of creating and building the Colson Associates group of companies, Mr. Pritzker turned the businesses into thriving, highly successful enterprises with a global reach into all the major markets around the world. Under
his leadership, the profitability of the Colson Associates Group of Companies has grown in excess of six-fold and he led the group to investment returns that have far exceeded the industry norms. With his dedicated guidance, support and love, which continued through the time of his death, the Colson Associates companies achieved positions of market prominence in their respective fields with rapidly increasing levels of leading-edge operational and technological advancements. The Colson Company (his first acquisition in 1953 and his first caster company) has now become the world's largest and most successful manufacturer and distributor of casters and hardware products with operations in 15 countries. With his vision and nurturing, the Colson Medical Companies, which Mr. Pritzker formed in 2002, have grown dramatically in terms of revenues, profitability and return on investment, at rates in excess of 20% annually, and at growth rates well in excess of their peers. Just as importantly to Mr. Pritzker, the Colson Medical Companies, building on the growth and his dedicated support, have developed into respected and highly successful businesses focused on the continued identification and development of innovative medical technologies which have led and are continuing to lead to higher standards of medical care throughout the world.

A manufacturing and philanthropic giant, Mr. Pritzker had an extraordinary relationship with the Illinois Institute of Technology ("IIT") since his graduation in 1946 with a degree in industrial engineering. In 1984, in recognition of his then many outstanding contributions and achievements, the University bestowed upon him an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree and in 2002 he was inducted into the University's Hall of Fame. His continuing commitment throughout the years to the future of engineering education led to critical initiatives in research and teaching. As Chairman of the IIT Board of Trustees for many years, Mr. Pritzker presided over the reinvigoration of the University, lending his personal leadership, management advice and generous philanthropic support. His foresight and financial support also led to the creation in 1981 of the Pritzker Institute for Medical Engineering, now a focal point for the University's biomedical engineering education and research. Mr. Pritzker's faith in the University and his belief in the importance in educating top-quality engineers led to the creation of the Camras Scholars Program which dramatically strengthened the University's ability to attract the best and brightest engineering students from around the world.

Mr. Pritzker was born in Chicago on June 30, 1926. His father and grandfather (who immigrated to Chicago from Kiev, the Ukraine, at the age of ten in 1881) were successful lawyers and real estate investors. Mr. Pritzker's two brothers (Jay and Donald) also obtained law degrees but Mr. Pritzker broke the mold and at the young age of 19 graduated with a university degree in industrial engineering. As a young man, Mr. Pritzker delighted in visiting and learning the technologies of manufacturing companies. His business curiosity, operations expertise and knowledge provided the basis for his ability to improve the operating efficiencies of the acquired companies.

Throughout his career, Mr. Pritzker strongly believed that well-educated engineering minds would long be essential to the ability of the United States to compete in world markets. He advanced his cause not only through his leadership roles at IIT but also through his service as Chairman of the National Association of Manufacturers and through various roles with the National Academy of Engineering. At various times during his long and respected career, he taught management and engineering courses at IIT, The University of Chicago and Oxford University.

Early in his career, he held various positions in manufacturing and in 1954 he became the President of the Colson Company. His operational successes at Colson led to the acquisition of other manufacturing companies, which in 1964 were joined as members of the Marmon Group. The stunning success of the Marmon Group reflected his belief in empowering managers who, in his view, can and should be trusted to run the businesses entrusted to them. His attitude and very successful approach to business significantly influenced business methods and his philosophy of decentralized decision making placed reliance upon and granted authority to on-site managers to achieve goals.


Mr. Pritzker served on many civic and cultural Boards, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Rush University Medical Center, Lincoln Park Zoological Society, American Enterprise Institute, Chicago Jazz Ensemble, MPN Research Foundation, National Academy of Engineering, Junior Achievement International, and The Field Museum of Natural History. He was a life Trustee of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Rush University Medical Center, an honorary Director of the Lincoln Park Zoological Society, and past Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Field Museum of Natural History. Mr. Pritzker was also inducted into the Junior Achievement of Chicago's Business Hall of Fame.

Mr. Pritzker was raised in Chicago and his dedication and commitment throughout the years to the city of Chicago was reflected in the many charities, facilities and academic programs that he and his family supported, much of the time on an anonymous basis. In 1996, his $60 million challenge gift to IIT was instrumental to re-energizing the University.

Mr. Pritzker is survived by his wife Mayari; five children, James, Linda, Karen, Matthew and Liesel; 10 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.

Services will be held at 3:00 pm at Temple Emanuel Congregation, 5959 North Sheridan Road, Chicago on Sunday, October 30.

In lieu flowers, contributions can be made to any of the following organizations: Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (www.michaeljfox.org), Robert A. Pritzker Research Center at Illinois Institute of Technology (www.iit.edu/giving/pritzker), MPN Research Foundation (www.mpnresearchfoundation.org), or Chicago Jazz Ensemble (chicagojazzensemble.com).

Arrangements under the direction of Wm. H. Scott Funeral Home, Wilmette, IL, 847-251-8200.