After Stephanie Neely announced earlier this week that she would be stepping down from her role as City Treasurer, Rahm Emanuel announced his new Treasurer appointee: Kurt Summers. Summers will take over City Treasurer beginning December 1st pending City Council approval. He is the former chief of staff to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. He also served as trustee for the Cook County Pension Fund, as appointed by Preckwinkle. Summers is senior vice president at investment firm GCM Grosvenor, and is already fundraising for his campaign for February.
View a timeline of Summers' career.
-- Timeline created by Yasmin Rammohan; Margaret Keating contributed to this report.
Read Kurt Summers biography from GCM Grosvenor.
Mr. Summers is a member of the Strategy and Corporate Development Team and helps guide the short- and long-term objectives of the firm. Prior to joining GCM Grosvenor, Mr. Summers served as Chief of Staff to the Cook County Board President and as the President’s appointed Trustee for the Cook County Pension Fund. From 2009 to 2010, Mr. Summers was a Managing Director at Ryan Specialty Group, a specialty insurance services firm. From 2008 to 2009, he served as Chief of Staff on the Chicago 2016 Olympic Bid Committee. From 2006 to 2008, he was Director, Chief Financial Officer, and Head of Business Development at the Balton Corporation, a wholesale distribution company in Chicago. From 2005 to 2006, he was an Associate at Goldman Sachs in the Industrials Group of the Investment Banking Division. From 2002 to 2003, he was an Aide to the Chief of Staff in the Office of the Governor for the State of Illinois, serving as a James H. Dunn Fellow. Mr. Summers began his career as a Business Analyst at McKinsey & Company. Mr. Summers received his 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 in 2000 and his Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School in 2005. In addition, Mr. Summers is active as a leader in many other organizations. He is a member of the National Council for The Gephardt Institute for Public Service, Public Safety Action Committee for the City of Chicago, the Finance Committee Chair and Board member for Navy Pier Inc., and an active member of the Economic Club of Chicago.