Jerry Michael Reinsdorf

Background

Jerry Michael Reinsdorf was born on February 25, 1936, in Brooklyn, New York, to Max and Marion Reinsdorf. His father worked as a sewing-machine mechanic and salesman, and the family lived in a Brooklyn apartment during Reinsdorf's childhood. Reinsdorf later recalled growing up in a Jewish neighborhood whose schools and streets brought Jewish, Irish, and African-American residents into regular contact.

He moved to Chicago in 1957 to continue his education. His early professional preparation combined law, taxation, accounting, real-estate finance, and appraisal, fields that later supported his transition from legal practice into real-estate partnerships and professional sports ownership.

Education

Reinsdorf studied at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1957. The university, founded in 1821, developed as a private institution closely connected with the civic and governmental life of the American capital.

He then attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, receiving a Juris Doctor degree in 1960. Northwestern's law school, established in the nineteenth century, was part of a major research university serving the legal and commercial environment of the Chicago region. His legal education prepared him for tax practice and later work involving real-estate securities and finance.

Career

Reinsdorf began his legal career with the Office of Chief Counsel of the Internal Revenue Service in Chicago, where he worked as an attorney from 1960 to 1964. The IRS legal office handled federal tax matters and provided an institutional setting in which his legal and accounting training could be applied to taxation.

From 1964 to 1968, he was an associate at Chapman & Cutler, a Chicago law firm known for work in corporate, financial, and securities law. He later became a partner at Altman, Kurlander & Weiss from 1968 to 1974 and served as counsel at Katten Muchin Rosenman and its predecessor firm from 1974 to 1979. He also lectured at The John Marshall Law School from 1966 to 1968 on real estate, sports, and taxation.

Reinsdorf entered real-estate business in the early 1970s. He was a general partner in Carlyle Real Estate Limited Partnerships in 1971 and 1972 and became chairman of the Balcor Company in 1973. Balcor specialized in real-estate partnerships and securities; its sale to American Express helped establish the financial base for Reinsdorf's later sports investments. He served as managing partner of TBC Films from 1975 to 1983 and became a partner in Bojer Finance in 1987.

In 1981, Reinsdorf and Eddie Einhorn led a group that purchased the Chicago White Sox. The franchise won the American League West in 1983 and the 2005 World Series during Reinsdorf's ownership. Reinsdorf has remained chairman and the principal day-to-day decision-maker of the White Sox, while a 2025 agreement with Justin Ishbia established a framework for a possible future transfer of controlling interest no earlier than 2029.

A group led by Reinsdorf acquired controlling interest in the Chicago Bulls in 1985, and he became the team's chairman. During his ownership, the Bulls won six NBA championships in 1991–1993 and 1996–1998, and the organization became associated with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, and coach Phil Jackson. In 1988, Reinsdorf and Blackhawks owner William Wirtz formed the partnership that created the United Center, which opened in 1994 as the home arena of both teams.

Achievements

• Led the group that purchased the Chicago White Sox in 1981; the club won the 2005 World Series during his ownership.

• Led the group that acquired controlling interest in the Chicago Bulls in 1985; the team won six NBA championships during his ownership, in 1991–1993 and 1996–1998.

• Helped establish the United Center partnership in 1988; the arena opened in 1994 as the home of the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks.

• Supported Michael Jordan's 1994 transition from professional basketball to baseball with the White Sox organization.

Religion

Reinsdorf has described growing up in a Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn, where Jewish, Irish, and African-American communities lived in close proximity. His recollections of Brooklyn and Jackie Robinson connected his early social environment with later reflections on race, religion, and integration in American public life.

Views

Reinsdorf's public reflections have emphasized practical judgment, persistence, and the value of building institutions that can sustain professional and civic activity over time. His recollections of Brooklyn and Jackie Robinson also expressed an appreciation for racial integration and for the social diversity of American cities.

Membership

Reinsdorf's documented civic and professional participation included the Federal Bar Association, American Bar Association, Chicago Bar Association, and Illinois State Bar Association. He also belonged to the Northwestern University Law School Alumni Association, the Order of the Coif, the Commercial Club of Chicago, Omega Tau Rho, and the National Sports Lawyers Association.

His board and charitable activities included service with the Anti-Defamation League's Chicago regional board, Illinois Institute of Technology, the Chicago Youth Success Foundation, Corporation for Supportive Housing, Northwestern University, the Hugh O'Brian Youth Foundation, the Barrow Neurological Foundation, Equity Office Properties, the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and other civic organizations. These bodies represented professional law, higher education, youth development, housing, neurological research, sports history, and community service.

• Board member

  Anti-Defamation League, Chicago Regional Board , United States

  1986 - 2001

• Trustee

  Illinois Institute of Technology , United States

  1991 - 1996

• Commission member

  Illinois Commission on African-American Males , United States

  1992 - present

• Board member

  Chicago Youth Success Foundation , United States

  1992 - present

• Board member

  Corporation for Supportive Housing , United States

  1995 - present

• National trustee and board governor

  Northwestern University , United States

  1993 - 2005

• Board governor

  Hugh O'Brian Youth Foundation , United States

  1993 - 2005

• International advisory board member

  Barrow Neurological Foundation , United States

  1996 - 1997

• Board trustee

  Equity Office Properties , United States

  1997 - 2004

• Board member

  National Baseball Hall of Fame , United States

  2008 - present

• Federal Bar Association , United States

• American Bar Association , United States

• National Sports Lawyers Association , United States

• Chicago Bar Association , United States

• Illinois State Bar Association , United States

• Board member

  Northwestern University Law School Alumni Association , United States

• Order of the Coif , United States

• Commercial Club of Chicago , United States

• Omega Tau Rho , United States

Personality

Reinsdorf has described himself as shaped by hard work, common sense, and a strong orientation toward taxation and business. Public accounts of his career frequently emphasize his preference for operating behind the scenes while allowing athletes, coaches, and executives to receive public recognition.

Quotes from others about the person

• Tony La Russa described Reinsdorf as a caring person who was attentive to the people working for him.

Interests

• Professional sports, sports history, real-estate finance, civic philanthropy, and charitable organizations.

• Sport & Clubs

  Baseball and basketball

• Athletes

  Jackie Robinson

Connections

Reinsdorf married Martyl F. Rifkin on December 29, 1956. Martyl Reinsdorf was a fine-arts creator and jewelry designer who contributed to the design of Chicago Bulls championship rings and the White Sox 2005 World Series ring; she died on June 28, 2021.

They had four children: David Jason, Susan Janeen, Michael Andrew, and Jonathan Milton Reinsdorf. David Reinsdorf died in 2014. Michael Reinsdorf became president and chief executive officer of the Chicago Bulls.

Father:

Max Reinsdorf

Worked as a sewing-machine mechanic and salesman.

Mother:

Marion Smith Reinsdorf

Son:

David Jason Reinsdorf

Died in 2014.

Son:

Michael Andrew Reinsdorf

President and chief executive officer of the Chicago Bulls.

Daughter:

Susan Janeen Reinsdorf

Son:

Jonathan Milton Reinsdorf

Wife:

Martyl F. Rifkin

Fine-arts creator and jewelry designer; died in 2021.

References

• Jerry Reinsdorf :: The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Documents Reinsdorf's birth, acquisition of the Chicago Bulls, ownership tenure, six NBA championships, and 2016 induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
• Jerry Reinsdorf — Society for American Baseball Research Provides biographical information about Reinsdorf's Brooklyn upbringing, education, legal and real-estate career, White Sox ownership, family, and awards.
  2025
• White Sox Announce Long-Term Ownership Investment Agreement Documents the 2025 investment agreement with Justin Ishbia, Reinsdorf's continuing controlling interest in the White Sox, and the possible future transfer framework.
  2025
• Introduction-History Documents the 1988 partnership between Jerry Reinsdorf and William Wirtz that led to construction of the United Center.
• Jerry Reinsdorf receives lifetime achievement award at the 2013 Sports Business Awards Documents Reinsdorf's receipt of the Sports Business Awards Lifetime Achievement Award.
  2013
• Martyl Reinsdorf passes away Documents the death and career of Martyl Reinsdorf and identifies her family relationship to Jerry Reinsdorf.
  2021
• Jerry Reinsdorf talks Jackie Robinson memories Presents Reinsdorf's recollections of Brooklyn, his Jewish neighborhood, racial integration, and Jackie Robinson.
  2018