Donald Pritzker

Donald Nicholas Pritzker (October 31, 1932 – May 6, 1972) was an American entrepreneur, businessman. He was a member of the Pritzker family and served as the president of Hyatt, where he helped grow the hotel chain. He was the father of J.B., Anthony and Penny Pritzker. Early life and education Pritzker was born to a Jewish family in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Fanny (née Doppelt) and A. N. Pritzker. He had two older brothers: Jay Pritzker (1922–1999) and Robert Pritzker (1926–2011). Pritzker studied at the Francis W. Parker School, and graduated with a B.A. from Harvard University as well as a J.D. from the law school at the University of Chicago. Career In 1961, after he graduated from law school, he went to work for the family company, the Marmon Group. His elder brother Jay Pritzker assigned him the task of managing the Hyatt Hotel chain. Donald moved to Atherton, California, and went about developing the chain and soon became Hyatt's president. In 1967, the Pritzkers bought a newly built hotel in downtown Atlanta out of bankruptcy which had an unusual design consisting of a 21-story atrium lobby with external glass elevators, fountains, and caged tropical birds. Donald renamed it the Hyatt Regency Atlanta; it became an instant success and served as the architectural model for all future Hyatt hotels.