He controls family holdings, including large stakes in Maytag, Hilton Hotels, Alltel, Aspen Skiing Company, New York's Rockefeller Center, and pro basketball's Chicago Bulls.
He also holds a 13% stake in the New York Yankees, an increase from 10% when he was an original limited partner with George Steinbrenner's investment group in 1973.
[4][5] During high school, he worked at the family business, Material Service Corporation (merged into General Dynamics in 1959).
[6] Affiliations include: Trusteeship of Northwestern University, the Aspen Institute and the Michael Reese Health Trust.
In a 2008 letter to voters Crown expressed his support for Barack Obama, the Democratic Presidential Candidate: While my involvement in politics is motivated by a variety of issues, there is one issue that is fundamental: My deep commitment to Israel and to a strong U.S.-Israel relationship that strengthens both Israel's security and its efforts to seek peace," Crown wrote.
"[5]In April 2013 Crown was one of 100 prominent American Jews who signed a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urging him to "work closely" with Secretary of State John Kerry "to devise pragmatic initiatives, consistent with Israel's security needs, which would represent Israel's readiness to make painful territorial sacrifices for the sake of peace.
[10] Crown, alongside his wife, received the Blessed are the Peacemakers Award from Catholic Theological Union in 2012.
[14][15][16] Their son James (1953-2023)[17] succeeded him as the President and Chairman of Henry Crown & Co.[18][19] A daughter, Janet, is founder and owner of Burn 60 Fitness Studios[20] and is divorced from celebrity trainer Gunnar Peterson.