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BRUCE RAUNER – Friend of the Filipino in Public Service

bruce raunerBruce was born and raised in Illinois. His grandfather was a Swedish-speaking, small-town dairyman who taught Bruce about fishing and hunting, the value of hard work and the importance of giving back. Bruce knew how to ride a horse at 6, milk a cow at 8, and shoot a rifle at 10.
Bruce’s first job was flipping burgers, his second job was parking cars. A dedicated and good student, Bruce worked while he attended Dartmouth College, where he graduated with top honors, and then earned an M.B.A. from Harvard.
Returning to Illinois in 1981, Bruce began working at then startup investment company Golder, Thoma, Cressey (later GTCR). As one of its earliest partners, Bruce helped build the firm into one of the most successful and respected businesses in Illinois.
In fact, GTCR has been trusted for decades to oversee the retirement investments of first responders, teachers and other Illinois workers and has created tremendous returns for them – far surpassing the stock market’s performance – while providing exceptional value for taxpayers.
Bruce makes no apologies for his success. He is a self-made businessman who had no inheritance or family wealth. He is proud to show people how he has reinvested much of that success into the state he loves through supporting education, the YMCA, local hospitals and community organizations. His greatest passion is education. He and his wife, Diana, have spearheaded efforts to develop charter and choice schools.
Bruce has never let his success change him. He still drives a 20-year-old camper van, wears an $18 watch, and stays in the cheapest hotel room he can find when he’s on the road. He is the proud father of six children – two boys and four girls – and his wife Diana is the love of his life. He hunts birds, hikes, loves riding his Harley, and jumps at every opportunity to fish.
Bruce isn’t interested in a political career. He is running for governor because he loves Illinois and refuses to stand by while career politicians drive it into the ground. He is willing to take the special interests controlling state government head on and reform the way Springfield does business.##

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