Ultimately, Wintrust contributed $1.5 million of the $30 million in commitments Brooks says he has so far. "He's putting his money where his mouth is," Wehmer, now Wintrust's executive chairman, says in an interview. "You've got to support a guy like that." When the two got together later, Wehmer also pointed Brooks in the direction of others who could help. The Robert R. McCormick Foundation contributed $8 million, winning naming rights to the future Leadership & Economic Opportunity Center. Ken Griffin, billionaire owner of hedge fund Citadel, provided another $5 million before he moved to South Florida.