Abram Nicholas Pritzker was born in Chicago on January 6, 1896. He graduated from the Wicker Park Elementary School, The University of Chicago and Harvard Law School. He preferred working in the business world instead of law, establishing and buying business. During his life he owned an airline, a magazine, the Hyatt Hotel, factories and 50 or so other companies.

He donated $16 million to the University of Chicago's medical school and he set up a trust fund for Wicker Park Elementary School, now the A.N. Pritzker Elementary School. Countless other schools and charities received large donations from Mr. Pritzker.

A. N. Pritzker died of a stroke in Chicago on February 8, 1986. Mr. Pritzker had three sons: Robert, Jay and Donald.