Early life and education

Rancic was born in Chicago and grew up in the suburb of Orland Park, Illinois in a family of Croatian heritage.

Rancic attended St. Michael's School (Orland Park) and graduated from Carl Sandburg High School. He earned a B.S. from Loyola University Chicago. His mother is Gail Rancic; his father Edward Rancic died of cancer in 1999. He has three sisters, Beth, Katie and Karen.

The Apprentice

Rancic was one of the job applicants in The Apprentice 1 during the spring of 2004, as one of 16 contestants. Rancic was hired at the conclusion of the 14-week job interview after Donald Trump selected him over finalist Kwame Jackson.

Rancic was the first reality TV star to be hired on national television. He elected to take charge of the construction of the Trump Tower Chicago in his native Chicago, Illinois, on the site of the demolished Chicago Sun-Times building. His other option was to oversee and manage a new Trump National Golf Course and resort in Los Angeles. The Trump National course was a potential site for season 6 of the show.

For the final challenge against competitor Kwame Jackson, Trump gave Rancic the task of running a celebrity golf outing in Briarcliff Manor, NY, while Jackson was tasked to manage a Jessica Simpson concert. At the final board meeting, Jackson remarked that running a golf outing was the easier of the two tasks, which brought a disagreement from Trump VP Carolyn Kepcher, who was managing a golf course when Trump hired her. Trump hired Rancic.

Career after The Apprentice

As an Apprentice

Originally, Rancic said that after his one-year contract as being Donald Trump's Apprentice expired, he would leave the job and start his own company. He instead opted to remain part of the Trump Organization, and in some seasons filled in as a judge when regular judge George H. Ross was away on business.

Work outside of Trump

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In September 2007, Rancic co-hosted iVillage's In the Loop with iVillage, a TV show and webcast produced by NBC Universal. NBC commissioned a set at the Universal Orlando Resort in Florida. In September 2008, Rancic began as host for the A&E reality show We Mean Business, in which small business owners undergo business make-overs.

In 2008, Rancic and his wife, TV host Giuliana Rancic (née DePandi), started a joint television production company, You and I Productions, which produces reality and scripted programming for television. In 2010, Rancic started hosting a news program called America Now, which is broadcast across the United States on stations owned by Raycom Media. The following year, "America Now" was brought back for a second season, with Leeza Gibbons joining Bill Rancic. Originally, the show was on every weekend, but when Leeza Gibbons joined the show, it moved to a Monday through Friday timeslot.

In 2012, Rancic became a television spokesperson for the product Rogaine, appearing in national commercials detailing his experience with hair loss. In April 2014, Rancic began hosting the Food Network competitive cooking series Kitchen Casino, where chefs participate in three casino-themed challenges in an attempt to win up to $30,000.

Personal life

In December 2006, he became engaged to Giuliana DePandi, and the couple wed in September 2007 in Chiesa di Santa Sofia, Capri.

On April 23, 2012, Giuliana and Bill announced on The Today Show that they were expecting their first child via gestational carrier. On August 29, 2012, the couple welcomed son, Edward Duke Rancic, in Denver, Colorado.

Real estate

Rancic owned a condo on the Magnificent Mile in Chicago, which he sold less than 20 months after purchasing the unit on the 50th floor of the Park Tower building.

Rancic had owned a home in Hinsdale, Illinois which prominently featured on his reality show. He sold it in February 2011. He also owns a villa on the Croatian island of Korčula.

Published works

• Rancic, Bill (2004). You're Hired: How to Succeed in Business and Life from the Winner of The Apprentice. HarperBusiness. ISBN 978-0060765415.
• Rancic, Bill (2005). Beyond the Lemonade Stand. Razorbill. ISBN 1595141030.
• Rancic, Giuliana; Rancic, Bill (2010). I Do, Now What?: Secrets, Stories, and Advice from a Madly-in-Love Couple. Ballantine Books. ISBN 978-0345524997.

Charities

Bill Rancic supports the following charitable causes: Teens, AIDS.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]