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Byron Trott

Age: 55

Occupation: Founder, chairman, and CEO, BDT Capital Partners

Trott’s private equity firm is right up there with the biggest in Chicago, including Madison Dearborn Partners and GTCR. But it’s this Winnetka resident’s deep social capital that extends his clout. Trott has worked closely with Groupon’s Brad Keywell and Eric Lefkofsky and has long-standing ties to the Pritzkers. Being known as Warren Buffett’s favorite banker doesn’t hurt either.