As a leading global financial services firm, Morgan Stanley is on a list of companies authorized to underwrite state bonds. In addition, the BGA found an affiliate has since the administration of then-Gov Pat Quinn in 2010 held a contract with the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to serve as a secondary equity investment manager. Company executives declined to comment.
Berkshire Hathaway -- an enormous conglomerate run by Pritzker family business associate Warren Buffett -- owns Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway Company. Pritzker put stock in Berkshire Hathaway into his trust when he established it in 2019, and has continually held it. BNSF has agreements and contracts with the state to reimburse it for state tollway projects requiring the relocation of rail buildings and facilities. BNFS said it does not bid, apply or compete on these contracts.
Calling itself one of the oldest financial firms in the country, JPMorgan Chase is also authorized to underwrite state bonds. It also holds numerous contracts with state agencies including the Comptroller, the Treasurer and the Department of Employment Securities since before Pritzker took office. Since 2019, an affiliate has paid a lobbyist to lobby Pritzker, the governor’s office and the Comptroller. A JPMorgan official declined comment.
Another O'Hare expansion contractor, Union Pacific Corporation, is being paid almost $200 million to accommodate relocation of rail lines and facilities around O'Hare. Pritzker put stock in Union Pacific into his trust when he created it in 2019. Since then, the railroad has done business with the State Toll Highway Authority. The project took “several years of negotiations,” said Union Pacific spokesperson Robynn Tysver. “We are proud of the hard work and diligence that led to this agreement, which will help relieve traffic congestion in the Chicago area and provide people with easier and quicker access to O'Hare Airport.”
For more than a decade, United HealthCare Insurance Co., an affiliate of UnitedHealth Group, has held state contracts to provide Medicare Advantage coverage to state employees and retirees. During 2020, the company deployed three lobbying firms to lobby the governor himself, his office and the state Central Management Services agency, which issued the contract.
One of the world's largest hotel groups, Marriott International, has held contracts worth more than $1.2 million through the state Department of Human Services. Marriott runs a charity called Bridges From School to Work, which helps young adults with disabilities find jobs. Most of the charity’s $8.6 million in expenses are spent through Marriott under a management services agreement. The charity also shares offices with Marriott International in Bethesda, Maryland. Deborah Marriott Harrison is a director of both the charity and Marriott International. A Bridges executive declined comment.
Apple Hospitality -- a publicly traded real estate investment trust, which owns one of the largest portfolios of hotels and guest rooms in the U.S., including the Hampton Inn & Suites in Skokie -- has a contract worth more than $1 million with the state Department of Human Services to house Afghan refugees at the hotel. The emergency contract says the Hampton Inn was the only hotel with “enough rooms to the first wave of refugees arriving.”
US Foods Holding Corp provides supplies to a Chicago veterans home through a 2021 contract with the state Department of Veterans Affairs. Pritzker in 2022 did not list the stock among his holdings, indicating it was sold by his trust
One of the largest food and foodservice distribution companies in North America, Performance Food Group in 2021 won a contract with the Department of Corrections to supply dental floss to multiple prisons.
HD Supply, a subsidiary of The Home Depot, signed a contract in 2020 with the Illinois Math and Science Academy to provide a range of small items. Pritzker’s trust did not declare owning that stock the next year, indicating it was sold. .
Centene Corp. -- the largest Medicaid insurer in the world -- has through subsidiaries helped manage Illinois' Medicaid program. since before Pritzker took office. One of those subsidiaries, Meridian Health Plan of Illinois Inc. last year reported profits of $181.5 million on its $5.2 billion in revenues from Illinois Medicaid contracts. Meridian and other Centene affiliates since 2020 have registered eight lobbying firms to lobby Pritzker, the governor’s office and Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, among other state agencies.
Rail services giant CSX Corp since 2009 has done about $13.4 million in state business with the transportation department.