Pritzker diversified the Chicago-based family business—which then consisted of the Pritzker & Pritzker law firm run by his uncle,
Harry, and the investments made by his father and his uncle,
Jack — into the
Marmon Group holding company.[citation needed] With his brother, Robert, he built a portfolio of 60 diversified industrial corporations. He created the
Hyatt Hotel chain in 1957 with his brother
Donald Pritzker and owned
Braniff Airlines from 1983–1988.[citation needed]
Pritzker was married to Marian "Cindy" Friend, the daughter of Illinois appellate judge
Hugo Friend,[12][13] for 51 years.[14][15] They had five children:[16]
Thomas Pritzker (born 1950), served as chairman of Hyatt Foundation, chairman of Marmon Holdings, and as a director of
Royal Caribbean, and the Pritzker Foundation.[16]
John Pritzker (born 1953), runs his own
private equity firm Geolo Capital, which focuses on investments in hospitality, entertainment and health and wellness companies. In 2010, he purchased a majority interest in the
Joie de Vivre hotel chain and later merging it with the
Pomeranc family's Thompson Hotel Group.[16]
Daniel Pritzker (born 1959), musician and filmmaker who served as a trustee of the Jay Pritzker Foundation along with his wife, Karen. He also founded the Jay Pritzker Academy in Ta Chet, Cambodia; and is a prominent supporter of
Providence St. Mel School in Chicago and
Tufts University. He is the owner of
Jerry Garcia's famed guitar "Wolf", which he purchased at auction for $789,500.