33 Facts About Blair Hull

Blair Hull was born on September 3,1942 and is an American businessman, investor, and Democratic politician.

In 2009, Blair Hull founded Ketchum Trading, LLC, a proprietary trading firm that traded and provided liquidity in futures, options, cash equities and exchange-traded funds.

Blair Hull remains active in the political arena as both an activist and donor.

Blair Hull is married to Cynthia Cranmer Erb, and is father to four adult children: Kristin, Megan, Jeff, and Courtney.

Blair Hull took his accumulated winnings to the Pacific Stock Exchange, then to the Chicago financial exchanges.

In 2022, Blair Hull was inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame, an organization that honors the greatest blackjack experts, authors and professional players in history.

Blair Hull founded Hull Trading Company in 1985 and served as the firm's chairman and CEO.

Blair Hull was a global leader in the application of computer technology to listed derivatives trading.

Blair Hull developed a proprietary and large scale reliable distributed system architecture, providing automatic real-time pricing, risk management, market making and interconnection with automated options, futures and stock exchanges as they became available.

In 1999, Blair Hull sold his company to Goldman Sachs for $531 million.

Blair Hull founded Ketchum Trading, LLC in 2009 and served as its chairman until 2018.

Blair Hull is an outspoken supporter of a woman's right to choose.

Blair Hull has served on the national foundation board of NARAL Pro-Choice America, and has been actively involved with Planned Parenthood, Emily's List, and Voters for Choice.

In Illinois, Blair Hull has been recognized by the Illinois General Assembly for his lifelong advocacy and dedication to protecting the rights of all women, and has been honored as a Lifetime Activist by Personal PAC, Illinois' largest and most influential pro-choice organization.

Blair Hull served on the board of the Women's Sports Foundation, and he endowed the first Chair in Women's Studies at his alma mater, University of California, Santa Barbara.

Blair Hull is a strong voice in favor of gay rights and greater equality.

Blair Hull has been an outspoken advocate in favor of the repeal of the military's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy; has supported the strengthening of hate crimes legislation; and has pushed for passage of ENDA and repeal of DOMA.

Blair Hull has been a generous supporter of the Human Rights Campaign, Equality Illinois, Lambda Legal Defense Fund, and Test Positive Aware Network.

Blair Hull has been a longtime financial supporter of Democratic causes and candidates across the country campaigning for a wide range of local, state, and national offices.

Blair Hull ran in the 2004 Illinois Democratic Primary to be the party's United States Senate nominee.

Blair Hull's candidacy brought a unique background to the crowded Democratic field.

Blair Hull was unique among the candidate field: he was an Army veteran, had been a card-carrying union member, had taught students as a high school math teacher, and was a successful businessman who had built a business and created jobs in Illinois.

Blair Hull advocated universal healthcare, greater efficiency in government, campaign finance reform, and re-importation of prescription drugs.

Blair Hull largely self-funded his campaign for Senate, spending $29 million of his own money on the race.

Blair Hull's early start, compelling profile, considerable fortune, and heavy campaign advertising on television ensured that Hull led the crowded Democratic field for much of the primary race.

Blair Hull's numbers dropped late in the race following allegations of marital issues.

Blair Hull held the record on the most money self-funded by a candidate in a US Senate primary election until 2024, when US representative David Trone gave his campaign over $40 million during the primary of the 2024 United States Senate election in Maryland.

Blair Hull remains active in Democratic politics, both as an activist and a donor.

The Blair Hull Family Foundation seeks to promote social justice and believes education is a key factor in initiating change.

Blair Hull has served on the board of directors of the Chicago Board Options Exchange from 1988 to 1990, the Board of the Options Clearing Corporation from 1992 to 1998, and BARRA, Inc from 1992 to 2004.

Blair Hull formerly served on the Foundation Board of directors for NARAL and the board of directors of Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

Blair Hull is a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of California Santa Barbara Foundation and in 1998 he endowed the first Chair in Women's Studies at University of California, Santa Barbara.

Blair Hull is a member of The Economic Club of Chicago, and the Union League Club of Chicago.