Kurt Summers

Kurt Summers is Chicago’s Treasurer and was born and raised on Chicago’s south side. A mission drive leader and pragmatic problem solver, Treasurer Summers manages the city’s $7 billion dollar investment portfolio. Further, Treasurer Summers sits on four local pension boards with nearly $25 billion under management. In addition to Treasurer Summers role as Chicago’s investor and banker, Summers also serves as an advocate for Chicagoans by providing financial education, transparency in government finances, and overseeing programs that promote economic growth and development across all of Chicago’s neighborhoods. From $57 million in investment returns for the City in 2016 to the development of Fund 77 – a targeted investment vehicle to support economic development in throughout all of Chicago, Treasurer Summers is focused on increasing opportunity for Chicago’s residents, workers, businesses, and neighborhoods. Summers began his career at McKinsey & Company, a preeminent global strategy-consulting firm. Most recently, Summers served as a Senior Vice President at Grosvenor Capital Management and a member of the Office of the Chairman. In that role, Summers was a leader of the Emerging and Diverse Manager business, which invested over $2 billion with minority- and women-owned firms. With nearly 15 years of experience in the financial services community, a background rooted in service to others has guided Treasurer Summers throughout his professional career. Prior to his time at Grosvenor, Summers was called to serve as Chief of Staff to the Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and as the appointed Trustee for the $9 billion Cook County Pension Fund. In that capacity, Summers led county-wide reforms to provide performance management in every department. In his role as Chief of Staff for President Preckwinkle, Summers steered the closure of a $487 million budget deficit while keeping the administration’s promise to roll back the county sales tax, saving taxpayers more than $400 million a year. Additionally, Summers aided in reforming the county’s procurement rules and helped pave the way for a more sustainable health and hospital system. In 2008, Summers was Chief of Staff for Chicago 2016, the city’s bid for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. Treasurer Summers is a lifelong Chicago resident and a graduate of Whitney Young High School. He received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with Management Distinction High Honors in Finance and International Business, with a minor in East Asian Studies, from Washington University in St. Louis. He also holds a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School. He lives in Hyde Park with his wife Helen and their schnauzer, Boston.