Benchmarks
Rick Baumgarten
Chicago is famed for its fierce local politics, but Barack Obama's election puts it on the national level as well, and Lee Lumber is hip-deep in both worlds. The company was born and remains a fixture in the Bridgeport neighborhood, center of the Daley mayoral machine, and now finds itself a short drive from Obama's home in the Hyde Park section. Rick Baumgarten grew up at Lee and, at 62, presides over a four-branch, six-showroom operation. Here's how he counts the dollars--and votes.
2 MIN READ