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James C. Tyree's Biography
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James C. Tyree serves as chairman and chief executive officer of Mesirow Financial, a diversified financial services firm headquartered in Chicago. Jim’s vision is to build a firm that offers clients a range of high-quality financial services for clients including institutions, corporations, public sector entities and private clients. The firm is an employee-owned, private company with more than 1,200 employees in locations across the country and in London. Mesirow Financial is well capitalized and has been consistently profitable with capital of $250 million, revenues for fiscal 2009 totaling $467 million and over $30 billion in assets under management.
Jim's entire career has been with Mesirow Financial, joining the firm in 1980 as a research associate and quickly rising through the ranks to be named president in 1990, chief executive officer in 1992 and chairman and chief executive officer in 1994. During his tenure as CEO, he has led Mesirow Financial to exceptional levels of growth in all areas of the business.
Over the past 20 years, Mesirow Financial has grown both organically as well as through over 50 acquisitions. Today, the firm has become: a leading provider of investment management services, with expertise in Hedge Fund Strategies, Private Equity, Currency, Real Estate, Equity and Fixed Income; one of the largest Chicago-based investment services firms offering Institutional Fixed Income Sales and Trading, Private Client Investment Brokerage and Broker/Dealer and IA Services; Chicago's largest independent Insurance agency; a major presence in Investment Banking, Public Finance and Sale-Leaseback Capital; a national leader in financial advisory consulting services, including Corporate Recovery, Litigation and Investigative Services, Valuation Services and Interim Management; a premier Real Estate organization which has been consistently recognized as one of the best-of-class real estate development and services enterprises in the country.
Throughout his career, Jim has served on more than 50 corporate, civic and not-for-profit boards of directors. Jim is chairman of the Sun-Times Media Holdings, a media firm that publishes 58 newspapers and websites including the Chicago Sun-Times. In 2007, he was appointed to the board of PrivateBancorp, Inc., a publicly held commercial bank. Jim has been a tireless advocate for the community. Civically, he provides active leadership and participates in numerous organizations in support of healthcare, education and children. In 2000, Mayor Daley appointed Jim as chairman of the board of City Colleges of Chicago, an organization with seven colleges and over 121,000 students. In addition, Jim is the chairman for the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and past chairman of The Executives’ Club of Chicago and currently serves on the boards of The Executives’ Club of Chicago, University of Chicago Medical Center, Illinois State University Foundation, Illinois Institute of Technology, Illinois Education Foundation, and Big Shoulders Fund.
Jim was chairman of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International from 2006 to 2008 and continues to serve on its executive committee. In addition, Jim has held various leadership positions with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Illinois Chapter. Currently, he is member-at-large of its executive committee, a life member of its board of directors and was named its 2004 Person of the Year.
A native Chicagoan, Jim grew up on the South Side in the Beverly neighborhood. He received both his bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in business from Illinois State University. Jim, his wife, Eve, their daughter, Jessica, and twin sons, Matthew and Joseph reside in Chicago.
