< 25 Top Pension Power Players

2. Bruce Rauner
Governor of Illinois
In 2015, Republican Bruce Rauner, former chairman of private equity firm GTCR, was elected governor of Illinois — which has one of the most underfunded state government pension systems in the country — on a promise to bring fiscal stability. Illinois has since become ground zero for pension reform. In December, Rauner, who has a history of antiunion positions, vetoed a bill that would have provided $215 million for pensions for Chicago public school teachers; he said any bailout needed to be tied to statewide pension changes, which he’s been trying to ram through the legislature since he took office. State Democrats overrode his veto, but Rauner, who turns 60 this month, has more support in the House, which has yet to vote. He has appointed outspoken pension reformer Marc Levine to head the $15 billion Illinois State Board of Investment. Levine has done one thing to make pension backers happy: He slashed ISBI’s hedge fund portfolio. — Michelle Celarier
The 2017 Pension Political Power 25Click below to view profiles
![]() Secretary of Labor ![]() Governor of Illinois ![]() Secretary of Education ![]() Founders, Laura and John Arnold Foundation ![]() Secretary of the Treasury |
![]() Secretary of Commerce ![]() California Chief Justice ![]() Speaker of the House ![]() Founder, SkyBridge Capital ![]() California State Senator and President Pro Tempore |
![]() Chairman, Senate Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security ![]() President, New Jersey State Senate ![]() Governor of California ![]() Co-founder, Avenue Strategies ![]() President, Elliott Management Corp. |
![]() Senior Vice President, Labor, Immigration, and Employee Benefits, U.S. Chamber of Commerce ![]() U.S. Senator ![]() Founder and managingpartner, Feinberg Rozen ![]() Governor of Wisconsin ![]() President, AFL-CIO |
![]() Mayor of Dallas ![]() U.S. Senator ![]() Partner, Davis & Harman ![]() U.S. Senator ![]() President, American Federation of Teachers |
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