Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday appointed Bryan Traubert, a philanthropist and former eye doctor who is married to Penny Pritzker, the governor’s sister, to the University of Illinois board of trustees.
State employees are not allowed to appoint relatives — including in-laws — to state positions, according to the nepotism section of the Illinois state employee code of personal conduct.
But the governor’s office in a statement said the code “does not legally apply to a separate entity like the University of Illinois.”
“Governor Pritzker’s appointments to boards and commissions are transparent and include qualified individuals dedicated to serving the best interests of the state,” the statement said.
Matt Hill, a spokesperson for the governor, also noted the board position is unpaid.
As with many other board and commission roles appointed by the governor’s office, the appointment covers only expenses, with no salary, according to records from the secretary of state’s office.
Traubert, a U. of I. medical school alumnus, holds a number of civic roles including as head of the Pritzker Traubert Foundation, a philanthropy “dedicated to equalizing opportunity in Chicago,” according to his resume and an announcement provided by the governor’s office.
He joined the board of trustees at Loyola University Chicago in 2020, according to the school, and at different points has been chair of Chicago Public Media and on the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, according to his resume.
Chicago Tribune’s Dan Petrella contributed.