BusinessWeek logo

Register Sign In

About Our New Lifestyle Channel


Current jumbo playing cards Risk-Free Issues

Subscribe Now

* Home

* Top News

* News Archive

* Special Reports

* Columnists

* Newsmaker Videos

* Newsletters

* The Debate Room

* Blogs

* Investing

* Investing Home

* Markets

* Stocks

* Economy

* Real Estate

* Retirement

* Investing: Europe

* Philanthropy

* Learning Center

* Companies

* Companies Home

* Sectors & Industries

* Industry News

* Learning Center

* People Overview

* Technology

* motorcycle insurance Home

* CEO Tech Guide

* Computers

* Electronics

* Entertainment

* Internet

* Reviews

* Software

* Investing

* Tech Maven

* Telecom

* Innovation & Design

* Innovation Home

* Architecture

* Auto Design

* Brand Equity

* Game Room

* Brand Blog

* Design Blog

* Media Blog

* NEXT Blog

* Slide Shows

* Managing

* Managing Home

* Your Career

* Your Team

* Your Company

* Your Board

* Books

* Management IQ Blog

* Small Biz

* Small Biz Home

* Getting Started

* Marketing

* Leadership

* Communications

* Smart Answers

* Success Stories

* Tech

* Small Biz Magazine

* B-Schools

* B-Schools Home

* Undergrad

* MBA Insider

life insurance MBA Blogs

* Calendar

* Forums

* Rankings & Profiles

* Admissions Q&As

* Journals

* Videos

* Asia

* Asia Home

* indie style * India

* Economy

* Innovation

* Investing

* Eye on Asia Blog

* Europe

* Europe Home

multiple insurance quotes Autos

* Companies

* Economy

* Energy

* Innovation

* Investing

* Lifestyle

* Lifestyle Home

* Real Estate

* Autos

* Travel

* Executive Health

* Living Well

* Business of Luxury Blog

* Traveler's Check Blog

* Magazine

* Current Issue

* Past Issues

* Cover Story Podcasts

* Figures of the Week

* Small Biz Magazine

* BW TV

* Subscribe

* FAQs

Top News December 26, 2007, 12:01AM EST



Buffett Wins the Pritzkers' Prize
=================================


Berkshire Hathaway agrees to acquire the Pritzker family's Marmon
Holdings, which comprises more than 125 businesses
-----------------------------------------------------------------


Related Items
-------------

* The Pritzkers' Empire Trembles

* The House of Pritzker

* Table: The Pritzker Family Businesses

* Company Snapshot: Berkshire Hathaway


Story Tools
-----------

* post a comment

* e-mail this story

* print this story

* order a reprint

* digg this

* save to del.icio.us

" alt="" border="0" />

http://images.businessweek.com/story/07/370/1225_buffett.jpg

Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of playing cards promotion Hathaway. Getty Images

By BW Staff with the Associated Press

volvo insurance Holdings has always been the quiet part of the Pritzker empire.
As the Pritzker family of Chicago became one of the wealthiest in the
country under the leadership of Jay Pritzker, it was best insurance known for
the Hyatt Hotel chain and a variety of real estate developments learn mandarin chicago the country. But the privately held Marmon, a holding company long
managed by Jay's brother Bob, was always a significant part of the
empire, often contributing more than half of the revenues.

Now, Warren Buffett is ending the era of Pritzker ownership at Marmon.
On Christmas Day, Dec. 25, Buffett's investment company chinese tutor chicago it will
acquire Marmon in a deal structured to transfer ownership over several
years. Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA) will pay $4.5 billion for 60% of
Marmon and then an unspecified amount for the remaining 40% over the
next five to six years, depending on the future earnings of Marmon.
"Our transaction was done just the way Jay would have imprinted playing cards it to be
done—no consultants or studies," said Buffett in a statement.


A Family Business

Marmon has improved its performance in recent years. The holding
company, with more than 125 manufacturing and service businesses, hit
a rough patch at the beginning of the decade as the economy softened.
But in 2006, the company says revenue increased 24%, and now totals
about $7 billion, while operating income surged 73%. (Because Marmon
is privately held, it does not have to provide detailed financial
statements independent style the public.)

Marmon is owned by emo style for the benefit of the Pritzker family,
which also developed the Hyatt Hotel chain.

The Buffett deal is expected to close in the first quarter of honda insurance Before the closing, Marmon will make a "substantial distribution of
cash automobile insurance certain assets to learn chinese chicago selling shareholders," according to the
statement.

The Pritzker family went through unsual tumult in recent years. In
2002, the daughter of Bob Pritzker, Liesel, sued her father and
cousins alleging they had misused money from trusts set up to benefit
her and her brother, Matthew. The lawsuit was settled in 2005, with
Liesel and Matthew each receiving $280 million in addition to money
they had previously been given.


Six Years in the Making

Marmon was acquired by the brothers Jay and Robert Pritzker in 1953
when it was a small manufacturing operation in Ohio. In 2002, Jay's
son Tom Pritzker took over as chairman. Tom then recruited John
Nichols to become chief executive of Marmon, and in 2006, John was
promo playing cards by Frank Ptak, Marmon's cheap life insurance CEO.

"This transaction is homeowners insurance culmination of a process that began six years
ago," said Tom Pritzker in a statement. "We brought John Nichols in as
CEO and began rebuilding Marmon's existing lines of business.
Berkshire Hathaway's decision recognizes the fine work of our
management team over this period and the transaction is being done in
the context of the previously reported restructuring of better auto insurance family
business interests."


No Management Change Expected

Under the agreement, Marmon's management will continue to oversee the
business in the immediate future.

"This is a transaction that works for all playing cards custom poker said Nichols
in a statement. "It will allow Marmon to thrive under its existing
management team and continue implementing our management philosophy."

Buffett is the billionaire CEO and chairman of Berkshire Hathaway,
which has more than 60 subsidiaries. He's known for a hands-off
management style, as long full color playing cards his companies are operating smoothly. "I
am pleased that over the next five to six years, we streetwear style be full color custom playing cards and working with Tom Pritzker, John Nichols, and Frank Ptak in
continuing to build Marmon," said Buffett.


Reader Discussion
-----------------

Post a comment about this story in Reader Discussion…

" alt="" border="0" />


BW Extras
---------

* Podcasts

* Top Designers

* Behind the Cover

* CEO Guide to Tech

* more…

* RSS Feeds

* Most Popular

* Top News

* Innovation Trends

* more…

* E-mails

* Asia Insider

* cheap auto insurance Express

* BW.com Insider

* more…

* Blogs

heart shape playing cards Blogspotting

* Hot Property

* Tech Beat

* more…


Most Popular Stories
--------------------

* Read

* E-mailed

* Discussed

1. Buffett Wins the Pritzkers' Prize

2. The Dogs of Wall Street

3. AT&T and Cisco: A Bandwidth Bonanza

4. Where Things Are Headed in 2008

5. Microsoft's Games Get Serious

RSS Feed: Most Read Stories

1. Buffett Wins the Pritzkers' Prize

2. The Bear Flu: How It Spread

3. Microsoft's Games Get Serious

4. Where Things Are Headed in 2008

cheap insurance AT&T and Cisco: A Bandwidth Bonanza

RSS Feed: Most E-mailed Stories

1. emo fashion Wins the Pritzkers' Prize

2. Where the Affordable Suburbs Are

3. Toyota Prius Turns 10

4. Business Education Under the Microscope

5. Is Raising Kids a Fool's Game?

RSS Feed: Most Discussed Stories


Most Popular Multimedia
-----------------------

* Slide Shows

1. Best Affordable Suburbs 2007 - BusinessWeek

2. Best Places custom playing cards Raise Your Kids, 2007 - BusinessWeek

3. emo clothing Best and Worst Housing Markets 2007 - BusinessWeek

4. Super Supercars 2008 - BusinessWeek

5. Best Winter Cars - BusinessWeek

RSS Feed: Most Popular Slide Shows


BW Mall - Sponsored Links
-------------------------

* Online Currency Trading with GFT indie clothing One-on-One Training of our
Award-Winning Forex Software. Try GFT risk-free now!

* FREE SAP Operational Growth Podcast Achieve Growth & Manage The
Challenges That Come With Expansion - Free Podcast by Joe Kennedy

* Schwab Active Trader Tap into advanced trading tools, in-depth
proprietary research and access to trading specialists.

* Top 5 Energy Stocks Add some Green to your Portfolio. Free
Alternative Energy emo clothes auto insurance more Pick Stocks That Win Top Market Timer Bernie Schaeffer shows you
how with his Master Portfolio. Try it now for FREE.

* Buy a link now!

" alt="" border="0" />

" alt="" border="0" />

" alt="" border="0" />

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Advertising | Special Sections | MarketPlace | Knowledge Centers |
home insurance of Use | Disclaimer | Privacy Notice | Ethics Code | Contact Us

Copyright 2000-2007 by The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. All rights
reserved.

McGraw-Hill Logo

" alt="" border="0" />