The Richest Person in Every State

Eric Schmidt, Sergey Brin and Larry Page

Eric Schmidt, Sergey Brin and Larry Page by Joi Ito (CC BY)

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Eric Schmidt, Sergey Brin and Larry Page
Eric Schmidt, Sergey Brin and Larry Page by Joi Ito (CC BY)

Who’s the Richest of Them All?

When Forbes published its 2022 list of the richest people in the world in April, it found 1,000 billionaires who had added to their wealth over the past year. But this state-by-state update of that snapshot — following some rough months for investors — tells a slightly different story, especially where those fortunes are tied to large stock holdings. Here’s a look at the richest person in every state based on May 6 stats from the Forbes Real-Time Billionaire site, which tracks the rise and fall of wealth constantly when markets are open. Older numbers were necessary in several states that don’t have a billionaire in residence.


Related: The Most Expensive Neighborhood in Every State

Welcome to Abbeville, Alabama
Welcome to Abbeville, Alabama by Jimmy Emerson, DVM (CC BY-NC-ND)

Alabama: Jimmy Rane

$900 million (2019)

Alabama is one of the few states where you won’t find a billionaire, but Rane is pretty close (at least he was when Forbes ran the numbers in 2019). He’s the founder and chief executive of Great Southern Wood Preserving and has spent a considerable amount of money revitalizing his hometown of Abbeville, according to Money magazine. His foundation has awarded more than 500 college scholarships.


Related: Who Is the Highest-Paid Public Employee in Your State?

JL Tower, Midtown Anchorage
JL Tower, Midtown Anchorage by Fsdbb3 (CC BY-SA)

Alaska: Leonard Hyde and family and Jonathan Rubini and family

$300 million (2019)

These partners who co-founded commercial real estate developer JL Properties in Anchorage last made a Forbes listing in 2019. The company says its property holdings “exceeds $2 billion,” with more than 2 million square feet of Class A commercial office space in Anchorage alone.


Related: Most Expensive Celeb Homes on the Market

Carvana
Carvana by Elephanthunter (CC BY-SA)

Arizona: Ernest Garcia II

$5.2 billion

The chief executive of Carvana remains the richest man in Arizona, but his net worth has dropped 65% from a year ago as the company’s fortunes declined. “Carvana has gone from Wall Street’s preferred used car retailer to trading like a meme stock,” CNBC.com says.


Other notables: Mark Shoen ($4.5 billion), who has sizable holdings in U-Haul parent Amerco, where his brother E. Joe Shoen ($3.9 billion) is president and chair; Arturo Moreno ($3.6 billion) who owns the Los Angeles Angels; and GoDaddy founder Bob Parsons ($3.4 billion)


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Jim Walton
Jim Walton by Walmart (CC BY)

Arkansas: Jim Walton

$68.9 billion

The youngest son of Walmart founder Sam Walton is chair and chief executive of the family’s Arvest Bank and a former Walmart director. He’s seen his fortune climb about 7% in the past year. He was the 16th-richest person in the world as ranked by Forbes this year.


Other notables: Walmart board member and former chair Rob Walton ($67.7 billion); Johnelle Hunt of J.B. Hunt Transport Services ($4.3 billion); Tyson Foods chair John Tyson ($3.1 billion); and investment banker Warren Stephens ($2.9 billion)

Eric Schmidt, Sergey Brin and Larry Page
Eric Schmidt, Sergey Brin and Larry Page by Joi Ito (CC BY)

California: Larry Page

$99.4 billion

There’s no shortage of billionaires in California, especially those who made their fortune in tech. Page, co-founder and board member of Google parent Alphabet, is a good example. He ranked eighth on the recent Forbes billionaires list.


Other notables: Sergey Brin, co-founder and board member of Alphabet ($95.6 billion); Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder of Facebook parent Meta ($72.9 billion, down 37% from a year ago); Eric Schmidt, former Google chief executive ($20.2 billion); Jensen Huang, chief executive and president of chipmaker NVIDIA ($17.5 billion, up 48% from a year ago); and Laurene Powell Jobs, founder of the Emerson Collective and widow of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs ($16.1 billion)

Charles Ergen
Shaul Schwarz/Getty

Colorado: Philip Anschutz

$10.9 billion

The Denver billionaire amassed a fortune in oil, railroads, telecom, real estate, and entertainment ventures over five decades, Forbes says. His Anschutz Entertainment Group operates more than 100 arenas and concert venues.


Other notables: John Malone, who made his fortune in media and entertainment companies ($7.1 billion); Charles Ergen, co-founder and chair of Dish Network ($6.5 billion, down 50% from a year ago); venture capitalist Mark Stevens ($4.2 billion); and James Leprino, chair of Leprino Foods, the world’s largest mozzarella cheese maker ($3.8 billion)

Ray Dalio
Kimberly White/Getty

Connecticut: Ray Dalio

$22 billion

The founder and co-chief investment officer of giant hedge fund firm Bridgewater Associates saw his wealth increase more than 8% last year. Forbes says he’s given about $1 billion to charities and his Dalio Foundation supports a wide range of causes including equal opportunity in education, microfinance, mental health and wellness, and the next generation of video games for learning.


Other notables: Steve Cohen, founder of Point72 Asset Management, a $16 billion hedge fund ($17.4 billion); Andreas Halvorsen, chief executive of hedge fund Viking Global Investors ($6.6 billion); Karen Pritzker, whose grandfather built the Marmon construction company and Hyatt hotels ($5.8 billion); Alexandre Behring, co-founder and managing partner of investment firm 3G Capital ($5.2 billion, down 32% from a year ago); and Todd Boehly, co-founder of investment firm Eldridge Industries ($4.5 billion)

Robert Gore
Robert Gore by Science History Institute (CC BY-SA)

Delaware: Robert Gore and Elizabeth Snyder

$885 million (2019)

These siblings whose parents founded W.L. Gore & Associates — the inventors of Gore-Tex — were last tracked by Forbes in 2019. The magazine didn’t find billionaires in Delaware in its latest survey.

Thomas Peterffy
James Leynse /Getty

Florida: Thomas Peterffy

$18.5 billion

The founder and chair of Interactive Brokers has seen his wealth decrease by about 20% since last year, though he’s still among the 100 wealthiest people in the world, according to Forbes.


Other notables: Noted investor Carl Icahn, founder of Icahn Capital Management ($16.7 billion); hedge fund manager David Tepper, who moved back to Florida from New Jersey ($16.7 billion, up 15% from a year ago); Shahid Khan, who owns the Jacksonville Jaguars, and British football club Fulham ($7.4 billion); and hedge fund manager Paul Tudor Jones II ($7.3 billion)


Cox Enterprises.
Cox Enterprises. by Taylor2646 (CC BY)

Georgia: Bernard Marcus

$8.2 billion

The co-founder and former chair of DYI giant Home Depot has given away more than $1 billion to various causes over the years including education and hospitals. His fortune is down 12% from a year ago.


Other notables: Jim Kennedy, chair of privately held automotive and media company Cox Enterprises ($7.1 billion, down 24% from a year ago); Arthur Blank, co-founder of Home Depot and Atlanta Falcons chair ($6.8 billion); Gary Rollins, chair and chief executive of Rollins, best known for its Orkin subsidiary ($5.4 billion); and John Brown, chair emeritus of medical device and software company Stryker ($5.2 billion)

Larry Ellison 2013
Larry Ellison 2013 by Schreibvieh (CC BY)

Hawaii: Larry Ellison

$101.4 billion

The co-founder, chair, and chief technology officer of Oracle is one of the top 10 wealthiest people in the world, according to Forbes. A Tesla investor, he may soon own part of Twitter after committing $1 billion to Elon Musk’s takeover plan.

Other notables: eBay founder Pierre Omidyar ($10.2 billion, down 54% from a year ago)


Frank VanderSloot
Frank VanderSloot by Melaleuca, Inc. (CC BY-SA)

Idaho: Frank VanderSloot

$3.1 billion

The founder and chief executive of Melaleuca, which Forbes says makes products ranging from health supplements to eco-friendly household cleaners, owns an estimated 117,500 acres in Idaho, Utah, and Montana. He surprised employees in 2021 with $4.7 million in special bonuses for their work during the pandemic.

Ken Griffin
Wikimedia Commons

Illinois: Ken Griffin

$26.1 billion

Despite Wall Street’s recent woes, business has been good for the founder and chief executive of hedge fund Citadel — with more than $50 billion under management — pushing his wealth up more than 60% over last year. He recently paid a cool $8 million for a seat on a Blue Origin flight and donated it to New York City teachers.


Other notables: Patrick Ryan, chair and chief executive of Ryan Specialty Group ($7.7 billion); investor Sam Zell ($5.8 billion); Morningstar chair and chief executive Joe Mansueto ($5.4 billion); and real estate tycoon Neil Bluhm ($5.3 billion)

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay
Bobby Ellis/Getty Images

Indiana: Carl Cook

$10.5 billion

The owner and chief executive of medical manufacturer Cook Group took the helm of the business his parents founded in Bloomington in 1963 when his father Bill died in 2011. His wealth grew by nearly 10% over the last year.


Other notables: Indianapolis Colts owner and chief executive Jim Irsay ($3.5 billion, up 16% from a year ago); and real estate investor Herb Simon ($3.4 billion)

Harry Stine
Stine Seed

Iowa: Harry Stine

$7.1 billion

Forbes calls Stine “a seed-genetics savant [who] has made a fortune licensing corn and soybean genetics to multinationals like Monsanto and Syngenta” through his company Stine Seed. His wealth increased by 26% over the past year.


Charles Koch
Charles Koch by Gavin Peters (CC BY-SA)

Kansas: Charles Koch

$63 billion

The chair and chief executive of Koch Industries — which includes such diverse businesses as pipelines, chemicals, Dixie cups, and Stainmaster carpet — saw his wealth increase by 33% over the last year.


Other notables: Min Kao (and family), co-founder, chair, and chief executive of GPS maker Garmin ($4.5 billion)

Public Storage
Public Storage by Raysonho (CC BY)

Kentucky: Tamara Gustavson

$8 billion

Gustavson is the largest shareholder in Public Storage, which her late father B. Wayne Hughes co-founded in 1972. Her wealth grew by 23% in the last year.

Gayle Benson
Gayle Benson by Joe-scott11 (CC BY-SA)

Louisiana: Gayle Benson

$3.8 billion

The philanthropist is the owner of the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans — teams her late husband Tom bought. She said recently that long-term succession plans for the teams involved selling them and giving the proceeds to charity, ESPN reports. Her fortune rose nearly 12% over the past year.

Photo of Kiewit Plaza in Omaha, Nebraska
Photo of Kiewit Plaza in Omaha, Nebraska by Ambirchfield1 (CC BY-SA)

Maine: Susan Alfond

$2.7 billion

The shoe heiress saw her wealth grow by about 4% over the past year. Alfond’s father started Dexter Shoe in 1958 and sold it to Berkshire Hathaway in 1993 for shares of that company’s stock.


Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti speaks at the organization's homecoming celebration at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland.
Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti speaks at the organization's homecoming celebration at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. by Jay Baker (CC BY)

Maryland: Stephen Bisciotti

$5.8 billion

The Baltimore Ravens owner and co-founder of staffing firm Allegis Group (with his cousin, Jim Davis) increased his wealth by about 18% over the past year.


Other notables: Mitchell Rales, chair of science and technology innovator Danaher ($5.8 billion, down 21% from a year ago); real estate developer Ted Lerner and family ($4.3 billion, down 10% from a year ago); Jim Davis, co-founder of Allegis ($4.2 billion); and David Rubenstein, co-founder and co-chief executive of private equity firm Carlyle Group ($3.8 billion)


Abigail Johnson
Abigail Johnson by Singhaniket255

Massachusetts: Abigail Johnson

$19.9 billion

Johnson owns almost 25% of Fidelity Investments — the Boston-based mutual fund giant founded by her grandfather — for which she’s chair and chief executive. Under her leadership, Fidelity “has been ahead of its peers in launching digital asset products,” says TechCrunch. That includes embracing cryptocurrencies, which could turn out poorly.


Other notables: New England Patriots and New England Revolution owner Robert Kraft ($8.3 billion, up 20% from a year ago); Edward Johnson IV, president of Pembroke Real Estate and Abigail Johnson’s brother ($6 billion, down 43% from a year ago); New Balance chair Jim Davis and family ($5.4 billion, down 23% from a year ago); and Elizabeth Johnson, Abigail Johnson’s sister ($4.8 billion)

Dan Gilbert
Drew Angerer/Getty

Michigan: Dan Gilbert

$18.4 billion

Gilbert is still the richest man in Michigan, but the Rocket Mortgage founder’s wealth — like the stock of the lender’s parent Rocket Cos. — is down 50% over the last year.


Other notables: Midwest supermarket chain owners Hank and Doug Meijer ($17.1 billion, up 35% from a year ago); Rhonda Stryker, director of medical equipment maker Stryker ($6.7 billion); Marian Ilitch, co-founder of Little Caesars Pizza with her late husband Mike ($4.3 billion, up 16% from a year ago); and Mat Ishbia, who took United Wholesale Mortgage — now UWM Holdings — public this year ($4.1 billion, down 46% from a year ago)

Glen Taylor
Hannah Foslien /Getty

Minnesota: Glen Taylor

$2.4 billion

The founder and chair of Taylor, a printing services company, owns the Minneapolis Star Tribune and stakes in the Timberwolves and Minnesota United. His fortune decreased by 17% in the past year.


Other notables: Stanley Hubbard, chair and chief executive of Hubbard Broadcasting ($1.7 billion); and Martha MacMillan ($1.6 billion, up 33% in the last year) and John MacMillan ($1.6 million, up 33% in the last year), heirs to Cargill, the world’s biggest agriculture business

Colorful Semi-Trucks
Colorful Semi-Trucks by Thank You (22.5 Millions+) views (CC BY)

Mississippi: James and Thomas Duff

$2 billion

The Duff brothers co-founded and co-own Duff Capital Investors, a holding company through which they’ve made acquisitions including trucking company KLLM, T.L. Wallace Constructions, and DeepWell Energy Services. They also own Southern Tire Mart, a company their father Ernest founded in 1973. Their wealth increased nearly 43% each over the past year.


Cargill
Cargill by Kelly Martin (CC BY-SA)

Missouri: Pauline MacMillan Keinath

$9 billion

Keinath is believed to be the largest shareholder in Cargill, the business her great-great-grandfather W.W. Cargill founded in 1865, Forbes says. Her wealth increased by 38% over the last year.


Other notables: John Morris, founder and chief executive of Bass Pro Shops ($5.9 billion, up 43% in the past year); David Steward, founder and chair of World Wide Technology ($5.8 billion, up 56% in the last year); Scottrade co-founder Rodger Riney and family ($3.6 billion); Jim Kavanaugh, chief executive of World Wide Technology ($3.4 billion); and Jim McKelvey, co-founder of Square ($2 Billion, down 47% from a year earlier)

Dennis R. Washington
Dennis R. Washington by FelixRo

Montana: Dennis Washington

$6.6 billion

Washington, who worked construction jobs in Alaska after graduating high school, now owns the Washington Cos., which include a copper mine, a regional railroad, and a shipbuilding business, Forbes says.


Other notables: Austen Cargill II, a former Cargill vice president ($5.1 billion); Marianne Liebmann, also part of the Cargill family ($5.1 billion, up 37% from a year ago); and Linda Pritzker, a member of the family that built the Hyatt hotel empire ($2 Billion)


Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett by USA International Trade Administration (CC BY)

Nebraska: Warren Buffett

$115.5 billion

The legendary “Oracle of Omaha” and chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway — which owns Geico, Duracell, and Dairy Queen, among others — saw his wealth increase a steady 5% over the past year, keeping him firmly in the top 10 richest people in the world.


Other notables: Henry Davis, owner of Greater Omaha Packing, whose fortune doubled over the last year ($2.3 billion)


Related: Warren Buffett Is Worth $115 Billion and Still Pays Less in Taxes Than You

Miriam Adelson
Miriam Adelson by David Azagury (CC BY)

Nevada: Miriam Adelson

$26.6 billion

The widow of gambling mogul Sheldon Adelson owns more than half of the Las Vegas Sands casino company. Her wealth is down 26% over the last year, following the price of company’s stock lower during that period, Forbes says.


Other notables: Workday chair and co-founder David Duffield ($11.2 billion, down 26% from a year earlier); Jay Chaudhry, founder and chief executive of cybersecurity firm Zscaler ($9.9 billion), Walmart heir Nancy Walton Laurie ($8.5 billion); and Andrew and Peggy Cherng, co-founders of Panda Express ($3.2 billion)


Panera Bread
Joel Carillet/istockphoto

New Hampshire: Andreas Reimann-Ciardelli

$720 million (2019)

This heir to her family’s chemical company sold her stake in JAB Holding Co. (owner of Panera Bread, Caribou Coffee, and Krispy Kreme) for $1 billion in 2003. Forbes listed her worth at $1.1 billion in March 2018 and at $720 million in 2019.


Rocco Commisso Corporate Headshot of Founder, Chairman & CEO of Mediacom Communications Corp.
Rocco Commisso Corporate Headshot of Founder, Chairman & CEO of Mediacom Communications Corp. by mediacom communications corporation (CC BY-SA)

New Jersey: John Overdeck

$6.5 billion

When David Tepper moved back to Florida, Overdeck — co-founder of data-driven hedge fund Two Sigma — became the richest person in the Garden State.


Other notables: Rocco Commisso, founder and chief executive of cable company Mediacom ($5.1 billion, down 30% from the prior year); and Peter Kellogg, chair of reinsurer IAT ($3.5 billion)


Solar plant(solar cell) with the cloud on sky, hot climate causes increased power production, Alternative energy to conserve the world's energy, Photovoltaic module idea for clean energy production
undefined undefined/istockphoto

New Mexico: Ron Corio

$1.1 billion (2021)

The founder and former chief executive of Array Technologies became New Mexico’s first billionaire in 2021, according to Forbes, but fell off the publication’s list this year.

Michael Bloomberg.jpg
Michael Bloomberg.jpg by Center for American Progress

New York: Michael Bloomberg

$82 billion

The co-founder and chief executive of media company Bloomberg, former New York City mayor, and presidential candidate saw his wealth increase 39% over the past year. 


Other notables: Julia Koch and family ($63 billion, up 32% from the prior year), widow of Koch Industries co-founder David Koch; Blackstone Group chair and chief executive Stephen Schwarzman ($31.5 billion); Jim Simons, founder of hedge fund firm Renaissance Technologies ($28.6 billion, up 16% from the prior year); and Leonard Lauder, chair emeritus of Estée Lauder ($21.3 billion, down 17% from a year ago)

Tim Sweeney
Tim Sweeney by Official GDC (CC BY)

North Carolina: Tim Sweeney

$7.6 billion

Sweeney co-founded and is chief executive of video game developer Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite — with more than 400 million players — and creator of the Unreal Engine used by other game studios.


Other notables: James Goodnight, co-founder of analytics software firm SAS ($6.3 billion); John Sall, SAS co-founder ($3.1 billion); and Mark Rein, Epic Games co-founder ($1 Billion)

Gary Tharaldson
Gary Tharaldson by Jerry Anderson (CC BY-SA)

North Dakota: Gary Tharaldson

$1 Billion (2019)

Forbes crowned the former gym teacher and insurance salesman as the first billionaire in North Dakota in 2019, but he dropped off the publication’s list the following year. His firm Tharaldson Hospitality has opened more than 400 hotels across the country.

Les Wexner and family
Wikimedia Commons

Ohio: Les Wexner and family

$5.8 billion

The founder of L Brands retired as chief executive and chair in 2020 and left the board in 2021 after revelations of his association with Jeffrey Epstein. His family’s wealth dropped 12% over the past year.


Other notables: Co-chair of the San Francisco 49ers Denise York and her family ($4 billion, up 14% from a year earlier); and Clayton Mathile ($2.3 billion), who sold pet food maker Iams in 1999

Harold Hamm at the 2012 Time 100 gala.
Harold Hamm at the 2012 Time 100 gala. by David Shankbone

Oklahoma: Harold Hamm and Family

$18.4 billion

Hamm and his five children together own about 80% of one of the nation’s biggest independent oil companies, Continental Resources, which Hamm founded. His wealth doubled over the past year, following the upward trajectory of the company’s share price.


Other notables: George Kaiser, chair of BOK Financial ($10.3 billion, up 80% in the past year); Tom and Judy Love, founders of Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores ($10 billion); Hobby Lobby chief executive David Green and family ($7.2 billion); and Lynn Schusterman, former chief executive of Samson Resources ($3.5 billion)


Phil Knight and family
Drew Angerer/Getty

Oregon: Phil Knight and Family

$44.7 billion

The founder of Nike created his first shoes with the help of his former track coach at the University of Oregon, with each putting up $500 to start what was then called Blue Ribbon Sports, Forbes says. Knight’s wealth dipped 12% last year.


Other notables: Travis Boersma, co-founder of coffee chain Butch Bros. ($3.1 billion); and Columbia Sportswear chair and chief executive Timothy Boyle ($2.1 billion, down 27% from a year ago)

M & M Mars Candy Headquarters
M & M Mars Candy Headquarters by Jimmy Emerson, DVM

Pennsylvania: Jeff Yass

$12 billion

Yass is a co-founder of Susquehanna International Group, a giant in options trading worldwide. A former professional gambler, Forbes says he “recruits and trains traders using poker tournaments to sharpen decision-making skills.”


Other notables: Victoria Mars of the Mars founding family ($8.3 billion); Michael Rubin, founder and chief executive of sports merchandise retailer Fanatics ($8 billion, up 29% from a year earlier); Mary Alice Dorrance Malone, the largest shareholder in Campbell Soup ($3.9 billion); Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie ($3.5 billion); and tobacco heir John S. Middleton ($3.4 billion)


Jonathan Nelson
Jonathan Nelson by Thomas Hawk (CC BY-NC)

Rhode Island: Jonathan Nelson

$2.2 billion

Nelson is the executive chair and former chief executive of Providence Equity Partners, which Forbes says is invested in more than 160 companies in media, communications, education, and information industries. His wealth grew about 5% over the past year.

Clemson University's Zucker Family Graduate Education Center
Clemson University's Zucker Family Graduate Education Center by North Charleston

South Carolina: Anita Zucker

$1.8 billion

Zucker is chief executive of family-owned chemical manufacturer InterTech Group, taking over the company when its founder — her husband, Jerry — died in 2008. Forbes says the former elementary school teacher and daughter of a Holocaust survivor is the only billionaire in South Carolina. Her fortune dropped 5% last year.

Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, SD on 05/11/15
Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, SD on 05/11/15 by Maxpower2727

South Dakota: T. Denny Sanford

$3.4 Billion

Sanford is the owner of First Premier Bank, which Forbes says “specializes in offering credit cards to high-risk borrowers.” The bank has 17 branches and is one of the largest issuers of Mastercards, which WalletHub says are known for “high fees, high interest rates, and low credit limits.” His wealth grew by 21% over the past year.


Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam speaks with media at the 2012 Greater Cleveland Sports Awards
Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam speaks with media at the 2012 Greater Cleveland Sports Awards by GCSC

Tennessee: Thomas Frist Jr. and Family

$19.1 billion

Frist owns more than 20% of HCA Healthcare, the company he founded with his father in 1968. Forbes says he doesn’t hold a position in the company, but two of his sons are board members. He added about 9% to his wealth over the past year.


Other notables: FedEx founder, chair, and chief executive Fred Smith ($4.7 billion, down 30% from a year ago); former chair of Ingram Industries Martha Ingram and family ($4 billion); Pilot Flying J chair and Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam ($3.8 billion, up 26% from a year earlier); and investor Jon Yarbrough ($3.1 billion)

elonmusk.jpg

Texas: Elon Musk

$255.8 billion

By far the world’s richest man and maybe the most ambitious, with involvement in Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Co., and other endeavors. Twitter may be next (or not). His wealth rose 54% over the past year.


Other notables: Walmart heir Alice Walton ($68 billion); Dell Technologies chair and chief executive Michael Dell ($50.9 billion); Dallas Cowboys president Jerry Jones ($11.9 billion, up 33% from a year ago); real estate and sports mogul Stanley Kroenke ($10.7 billion, up 32% from a year ago); and Walmart heir Ann Walton Kroenke ($9.3 billion)

Utah Jazz v. Cleveland Cavaliers, Jan 21, 2006
Utah Jazz v. Cleveland Cavaliers, Jan 21, 2006 by Ken Lund

Utah: Gail Miller

$3.2 billion

Miller and her husband Larry (who died in 2009) turned a single car dealership into the eighth-largest dealer group in America before selling in 2021 for $3.2 billion, Forbes says. They also bought the Utah Jazz in 1986 for $22 million, and the family sold it in 2020 for $1.7 billion. Miller’s wealth rose 33% over the past year.


Other notables: Cloudflare chief executive Matthew Prince ($2.4 billion); Ryan Smith, chief executive of cloud computing company Qualtrics ($1.5 billion); Qualtrics president Jared Smith ($1.4 billion); and Qualtrics co-founder (with sons Ryan and Jared) Scott Smith ($1 billion)

John Abele
John Abele by Sebastiaan ter Burg (CC BY)

Vermont: John Abele

$640 million (2019)

Co-founder of medical-device company Boston Scientific, Abele had wealth topping $1.2 billion in 2009 before he began donating much of his fortune — which Forbes put at $640 million in 2019.

Jacqueline Mars
Pool/Getty

Virginia: Jacqueline Mars

$33 billion

Mars owns about a third of the world’s largest candy maker, which was founded by her grandfather, Forbes says. The philanthropist serves on the board of the National Archives.


Other notables: Mars candy heir Pamela Mars ($8.3 billion); Carlyle Group co-founder Daniel D’Aniello ($4 billion); Carlyle Group co-founder William Conway Jr. ($3.6 billion); and SC Johnson heir Winifred J. Marquart ($3.5 billion)

Jeff Bezos at Amazon Spheres Grand Opening in Seattle
Jeff Bezos at Amazon Spheres Grand Opening in Seattle by Seattle City Council

Washington: Jeff Bezos

$140 billion

The founder and chair of the ecommerce behemoth he founded stepped down as chief executive in 2021. His wealth is down 26% over last year following a decline in Amazon stock. Forbes says he sold $8.8 billion in Amazon stock in 2021 and gave some shares away.


Other notables: Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates ($129 billion); former Microsoft chief executive and Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer ($90 billion, up 20% from a year earlier); MacKenzie Scott, philanthropist and ex-wife of Jeff Bezos ($34 billion, down 41% from a year ago); and Melinda French Gates, philanthropist and ex-wife of Bill Gates ($6 billion)


jim justice II.jpg

West Virginia: Jim Justice II

$1.2 billion (2020)

The two-term governor was the state’s only billionaire when first elected in 2016, but he dropped off the Forbes billionaires list in 2021 when a debt of $850 million to troubled lender Greensill Capital was discovered, the publication says.

John Menard Jr.
John Menard Jr. by Travisvanvelzen (CC BY-SA)

Wisconsin: John Menard Jr.

$15.1 billion

Founder of home improvement retailer Menard’s, which has 300 stores from Wyoming to Ohio, had an estimated $11.8 billion in revenue in 2020, Forbes says.


Other notables: Diane Hendricks, co-founder and chair of wholesale building supply company ABC Supply ($10.7 billion, up 30% from a year ago); Kohler Co. chair Herbert Kohler Jr. and family ($8.8 billion, down 10% from the prior year); Judy Faulkner, founder of medical-record software provider Epic Systems ($6.8 billion, up 11% from a year earlier); and Cargill heir James Cargill II ($5.1 billion)


Walmart is part of a mixed use development in Tysons called Tysons West
Walmart is part of a mixed use development in Tysons called Tysons West by Fairfax County

Wyoming: John Mars

$33 billion

Mars now owns a third of Mars Inc. — the $35 billion company founded by his grandfather in 1911 — known for its candy, pet care, and food products. His sister and nieces own the rest.


Other notables: Lukas Walton ($17.1 billion), grandson of Walmart founder Sam Walton; Christy Walton ($8.3 billion), who married into the Walton clan; Hansjoerg Wyss ($5 billion, down 23% from a year ago), who founded medical-device maker Synthes; and Ameritrade founder J. Joe Ricketts and family ($3.9 billion)


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