James M. Ratcliffe

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company, 1969-1994

Board of Trustees Member since 1982

Jim Ratcliffe was born in Kewanee, Illinois and attended Kewanee High School. Following high school, Jim attended the University of Chicago where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Doctor of Law. In 1969, Jim married Hildegund Weide, now a Senior Lecturer Emerita, University of Chicago. They welcomed a son, James M. Ratcliffe III.

For sixteen years, Jim was the Assistant Dean at the University of Chicago Law School. He later took the position of Vice President of Corporate Relations at R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company where he stayed for 25 years before retiring.

Active in several organizations, Jim is a current Board member of Econ Illinois and also serves as the Secretary on the executive committee. Jim is a Life Trustee on the Boards of the Better Government Association and the Harper Court Arts Council, as well as a member of the Resource Board for the Metropolitan Planning Council.

Jim’s past affiliations include Public Affairs Committee Chairman of the National Association of Manufacturers; member of the Canadian-American Trade Commission; Vice President of the Printing Industries of America; President of the Chicago Area Public Affairs Group; Board of Governors of the Metropolitan Planning Council; Visiting Committee for Loyola University; Board member of the Hyde Park-Kenwood Development Corporation, Institute for Spiritual Leadership, and Harper Court Foundation; and the past President of the Condominium Association.

Jim is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago, the Executives’ Club of Chicago, the University Club of Chicago and the Quadrangle Club.

Econ Illinois is honored to have James Ratcliffe as a member of our Board of Trustees for 29 years.