From CEOS to cultural icons, Chicago has always been an epicenter for trailblazers. Here are the top 50 local luminaries who call the Windy City home.
BRANDON JOHNSON
Mayor, City of Chicago
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RICH GAMBLE
Interim CEO, Choose Chicago
THEASTER GATES
Artist
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JEANNE GANG
Founder, Studio Gang
VIRGINIA HALAS MCCASKEY
Owner, Chicago Bears
TOM RICKETTS
Chairman, Chicago Cubs
JB PRITZKER
Governor, State of Illinois
SUJAN SARKAR
Chef/Partner, Indienne/Swadesi
Having scored a Michelin star for his stunning River North restaurant Indienne (the first ever for an Indian restaurant in Chicago), Sarkar finds himself at the forefront of the city’s vibrant South Asian culinary scene.
LUKE SAUNDERS
Founder/CEO, Farmer’s Fridge
IKRAM GOLDMAN
Owner, Ikram
JOSEPHINE LEE
Founder, Uniting Voices Chicago
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ASHLEY WHEATER MBE
Artistic director, The Joffrey Ballet
NICK CAVE
Artist
RASHOD R. JOHNSON, PE
President and CEO, Ardmore Roderick
TONY KARMAN
Founder, EXPO CHICAGO
TINA BOYER BROWN
Executive Director, The Chicago High School for the Arts
KENNETH GRIFFIN
Founder, No Matter What
RICK BAYLESS
Chef/restaurateur
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LUKAS WALTON
Founder, Builders Vision
JERRY REINSDORF
Owner, Chicago Bulls/ Chicago White Sox
VALERIE JARRETT
CEO, Obama Foundation
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ERICK WILLIAMS
Owner, Virtue Hospitality Group
CURT BAILEY
President, Related Midwest
MELLODY HOBSON
Co-CEO and president, Ariel Investments
GRANT ACHATZ
Co-owner, The Alinea Group
DR. ELISSA TENNY
President, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
The SAIC’s first female president in its 157-year history, Tenny has broken barriers and improved access to the esteemed institution.
JAMILA WOODS
Singer-songwriter
KERRY JAMES MARSHALL
Artist
JEFF TWEEDY
Musicican
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NICK KOKONAS
Co-owner, The Alinea Group
R.J. MELMAN
President, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises
MARTIN CABRERA
Founder and CEO, Cabrera Capital Markets/Cabrera Capital Partners
MADELEINE GRYNSZTEJN
Pritzker Director, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
MIKE GOLDEN
Co-founder, @Properties
JAMES RONDEAU
President and Eloise W. Martin Director, Art Institute of Chicago
JAHMAL COLE
Founder and CEO, My Block My Hood My City
SEEMA JAIN
Founder, Seva Global
This diversity, equity and inclusion guru has become a force in helping corporations embrace the idea of cultural competency.
BUDDY GUY
Musician
CARLOS GAYTAN
Executive chef and partner, Tzuco
THAD WONG
Co-founder, @Properties
STEPHANIE IZARD
Chef/restaurateur
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IMRAN KHAN
CEO, Embarc
COLE BENNETT
Founder, Lyrical Lemonade
NONAME
Rapper, poet and producer
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ERIC LEFKOFSKY
Founder and ceo, tempus
DAVID MORTON
Founder, Episcope Hospitality
SUSAN V. BOOTH
Artistic director, Goodman Theatre
MICHAEL SACKS
Chairman and CEO, GCM Grosvenor
Photography by: Photo courtesy of Indienne; The School of the Art Institute of Chicago; Seva Global; KaidoKarneriStock
