Purchasing Power

Donna Marks learned cost cutting from one of the best in the business: Sam Zell.

Zell is the Chicago billionaire investor known as the “grave dancer” for building a fortune by turning around money-losing businesses. Marks was part of a five-person team that negotiated contracts on behalf of Zell's 50-plus manufacturing companies for everything from freight to car leasing, travel and office supplies.

“Our team was saving millions of dollars,” Marks says, delighting in the task. “That was the most fun I had at work.”