Jay Robert "JB" Pritzker (born January 19, 1965) is an American politician and businessman serving since 2019 as the 43rd governor of Illinois.
Born in Palo Alto, California, Pritzker graduated from Milton Academy, Duke University, and Northwestern University School of Law. A member of the wealthy Pritzker family that owns the Hyatt hotel chain, Pritzker has helped to create several venture capital and investment startups, including Pritzker Group Private Capital, where he serves as managing partner. He also co-founded Chicago Ventures and funded the startups Techstars Chicago and Built in Chicago. According to Forbes, as of August 2025, his estimated net worth is $3.9 billion.
Before entering electoral politics, Pritzker was a longtime active member and financial supporter of the Democratic Party. In 1998, he ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in Illinois's 9th congressional district, losing in the Democratic primary. He chaired the Illinois Human Rights Commission from 2003 to 2006 under Governor Rod Blagojevich.
Pritzker won a crowded Democratic primary for governor of Illinois in the 2018 election. He defeated Republican incumbent Bruce Rauner in the general election on November 6 and took office on January 14, 2019. During his governorship, Pritzker has focused on fiscal policy, education, healthcare, and criminal justice reform. He has legalized recreational cannabis, expanded abortion access, and managed the COVID-19 pandemic in Illinois. Pritzker was reelected in 2022, defeating Darren Bailey.
