Briar Hall Management

Briar Hall Management

Briar Hall Management was established to serve the Smith family, whose wealth originated with the founding of Illinois Tool Works and Northern Trust. Harold Byron Smith Jr., former ITW vice chairman, led the family until his death in 2022. David B. Smith Jr. continues as a family principal and ITW director. The office allocates across buyouts, venture capital, infrastructure and natural resources. It uses direct co-investments, SPVs and fund-of-funds structures. Confirmed positions include holdings tied to Illinois Tool Works. Geographic reach centers on North America with additional exposure to global alternative investments. Energy Transition & Renewables and Industrial Tech form core sector focuses alongside biotech. Briar Hall employs integrated wealth management, trust and fiduciary services for multiple family households. It maintains offices in Chicago and real-asset holdings that include Briar Hall Estate in Lake Forest, Illinois and Aloha Lodge on Geneva Lake, Wisconsin. John Benevides holds YPO membership. David B. Smith Jr. serves as Executive Vice President of the Mutual Fund Directors Forum. No operational events from the last 24 months appear in available records. The firm operates a private trust company alongside its investment activities. This structure separates fiduciary administration from the family's operating-company ties to Illinois Tool Works while preserving multigenerational control.