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Robert Zimmer

Age: 66

Occupation: President, University of Chicago

The rebirth of Hyde Park owes a lot to the empire-building instincts of Zimmer, who last year committed $1.5 billion to a raft of new construction and cut the ribbon on a 240-bed hospital. However, in January, Moody’s and the S&P lowered their outlooks on U. of C. from stable to negative, based in part on the institution’s $2.6 billion in outstanding debt. Will the unbridled spending return the investment?