The Wealthiest People With Fortunes Inherited By Their Families
Mark Cuban
Mark Cuban is a TV personality and entrepreneur. He was only 12 years old when he started his first business, selling garbage bags to buy a pair of pricey basketball shoes. For his college education, Cuban went to the University of Pittsburgh before transferring to Indiana University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in management. After college, he went on to work as a salesperson for Your Business Software. Throughout his career, Cuban ventured into various businesses, including the financing of Sharesleuth.com and creating the Fallen Patriot Fund to help families of US personnel. Most people might know him best for his TV appearances, but he is also one of the richest people in the world with a net worth of $4.3 billion.
Tori Spelling
Victoria Davey Spelling started taking acting lessons when she was only six years old. Eventually, she made her TV debut through guest appearances for shows like The Love Boat, Hotel, Fantasy Island, and Saved by the Bell. Spelling got her big break portraying the character of Donna Martin on the popular show Beverly Hills, 90210. The actress has also written autobiographies, such as sTORI Telling, Mommywood, Uncharted TerriTORI, and Spelling It Like It Is.
Her father, Aaron Spelling, was a TV and film producer who received credit for producing over 218 shows and films. This includes Family, Charlie’s Angels, The Love Boat, and Beverly Hills, 90210. In 2006, Tori and Randy Spelling, her brother, both inherited $800,000 from their father’s estate.
Kyra Sedgwick
Sure, you know Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson on the TV series The Closer and as Kevin Bacon’s wife. But did you know she is one of the wealthiest heiresses in the US? The 55-year-old star is born a millionaire, credits to her venture capitalist father, Henry Dwight Sedgwick. The 55-year-old star inherited a $16-million fortune from her dad back in the day.
Despite being a millionaire, Kyra didn’t stop working hard and made a name for herself. Aside from being an actress, she is also a producer and director. She is also part of another TV show, Ten Days in Valley and the movies The Game Plan and The Possession, among others. Kyra now has two kids with Bacon.
Anderson Cooper
Anderson Cooper is the son of a famous heiress, Gloria Vanderbilt, who came from one of the US’s legendary families. Although the 53-year-old journalist already has the insurance for living a well-off life, he said he never expected things to be easy for him because of his fortune. Anyhow, he has a trust fund from his mother.
According to reports, Cooper was set to inherit a sizable fortune, which was as much as $200 million. However, in his mother’s will, his eldest son, Leopold “Stan” Stokowski, was set to receive her Manhattan co-op worth $1.2 million, while Cooper would get the rest of her estate, which was valued at about $1.5 million. This sum was nowhere near the $200 million Cooper would reportedly inherit, but it couldn’t be denied that it was a huge inheritance.
Steve Wynn
Stephen Alan Wynn is a real estate businessman and well-known developer for the casino and hotel industry. Throughout his career, Wynn has been involved in constructing many popular hotels and casinos, including the Golden Nugget, The Mirage, Treasure Island, Beau Rivage, Encore, and The Wynn. Outside of the real estate business, Wynn also has a number of investments when it comes to collecting artwork. These pieces can often be found on display in the establishments he owns. Among his collection are works by renowned artists like J. M. W. Turner, Claude Monet, Jeff Koons, and Vermeer. With a net worth of $3.1 billion, Steve Wynn is more than financially stable to indulge his hobbies, and expand his collection even further.
The Ziff Family
The Ziff family fortune is attributed to William Bernard Ziff Sr., who founded and made investments in a publishing business alongside Bernard G. Davis. This later became Ziff Davis Incorporated. After William Sr. passed, his son William Ziff Jr. took over the business and brought it to greater heights when he decided to redirect the company’s focus toward enthusiast magazines. They eventually acquired titles like Car and Driver, PC Magazine, and Computer Shopper. The outcome: manufacturers and retailers wanted their products to be advertised in these magazines, despite the fact that advertising sales were declining for most general-interest publications. Heirs Robert, Dirk, and Daniel, went to different business ventures, but there’s no denying the $14 billion fortune that the family made through publishing.
The Hunt Family
They are one of the wealthiest families today, with a fortune worth around $15.3 billion, and that’s thanks to HL Hunt Jr. who risked investments in oil properties. Haroldson Lafayette “HL” Hunt Jr. first purchased an oil property located in El Dorado, Arkansas. His employees later told him of a rumored oil field located in East Texas, which he soon bought for what was around $1 million at the time. As the story goes, he hit the jackpot!
His son, Lamar Hunt, founded sports leagues like the American Football League, Major League Soccer, World Championship Tennis. Lamar also established the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, which is currently owned by his son, Clark Hunt. When it comes to business, they certainly like to keep it within the family.
The Lauder Family
The Lauder family wealth can be traced all the way back to 1946, when Estée and Joseph Lauder founded Estée Lauder Cosmetics. Eventually, the company became one of the most influential names in the beauty industry. New generations have joined their family tree, and they still actively take part in the family business. The company has also expanded and now owns 30 different brands of makeup, including Bobbi Brown, MAC, and Clinique. Outside of the family business, Estée and Joseph’s sons have also been known to make investments towards collecting artworks. Over the years, the family have accumulated an approximate worth of $17.9 billion, but they still share what they have earned by supporting the fields of art, education, and health.
Lydia Hearst-Shaw
Lydia Marie Hearst-Shaw is a fashion model and actress, who has also made a name for herself as a lifestyle and fashion blogger. She has appeared on the covers of magazines like Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and has received acting credit for films like 2013’s Delirium and 2019’s Between Worlds.
Her grandfather, William Randolph Hearst Sr., is a publisher most notable for developing the newspaper and media company Hearst Communications. The story of his life has also been used as a reference for Orson Welles’ character in the 1941 film Citizen Kane. Lydia Hearst-Shaw currently has a an approximate net worth of $100 million thanks to her career in fashion, acting, and modeling for top brands like Prada and Louis Vuitton.
Eden Sassoon
Eden Sassoon is the daughter of the beauty icon Vidal Sassoon with actress Beverly Adams. Like her father, Eden went on to do business in the beauty industry and established the salon EDEN by Eden Sassoon. Though she was born to a wealthy family, Eden’s parents always encouraged her to work hard for her dreams. Other than owning her own salon, she also has investments in two studios for Pilates and Yoga. Eden had also been part of the show The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. After her father’s passing, Eden and her brother Eland shared their inheritance of $7.3 million. With this fortune between the two of them, the siblings can easily go into any business venture they deem fit.
Douglas Durst
Douglas Durst is a real estate investor and developer. He is also the chairman of the Durst Organization. His notable works with the organization include making an investment of $100 million toward the One World Trade Center and the New School University Center’s development.
Douglas’ children, Alexander and Helena, are currently serving as principals for the Durst Organization. His daughter, Anita, is the artistic director for ChaShaMa, a program that helps artists find affordable studios in New York. The Durst Organization is among the oldest family-run residential and commercial estate companies in New York. It was founded by Joseph Durst, Douglas’ grandfather. With various developments helping the company grow throughout the years, the entire family fortune is currently valued at $5.2 billion.
The Butt Family
The H-E-B grocery store chain, which has over 350 branches around America, was started by one mother— Florence Thornton Butt. She went door-to-door selling products to her neighbors in order to provide for her ill husband. Eventually, she decided to rent out a small property, which Florence turned into a grocery store where people in town can buy their daily needs. Two generations have passed and the business is still going strong. Florence’s grandson, Charles Butt, is the current CEO of the company. Thanks to the Butt family’s investments and effort throughout the years, their fortune is now valued at $10.7 billion. They have thousands of employees who also benefit from their success. Who would’ve thought that Florence’s small idea would turn into the family’s fortune!
The Murdoch Family
The Murdoch family is one of the more familiar names on our list. This is thanks to the significant contributions they have made in various fields. Their most prominent members include Sir Walter Murdoch, who wrote essays published through the Herald & Weekly Times, a newspaper group run by his nephew, Sir Keith Murdoch.
Through the years, the Murdoch family has made investments in companies like the Fox Television Stations, Fox News, Fox Broadcasting Company, New York Post, The Wall Street Journal, and News America Marketing. The family has accumulated around $18.1 billion from their business ventures. With family members like Rupert Murdoch and his children, James and Lachlan, taking on the business, they can safeguard their family’s wealth even for future generations.
Scarlett Johansson
Who would’ve thought that even without joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe and doing The Avengers and Black Widow films, Scarlett Johansson is already a millionaire? Aside from her huge fortune, the 35-year-old star is actually an heiress of a $140-million fortune. The mother-of-one comes from a very wealthy and successful family.
Despite being born with a silver spoon in her mouth, she still works hard to be the big star that she is today. As they say, hard work always pays off and she becomes the world’s highest-paid actress since 2018. Johansson is also often part of Forbes Celebrity 100. If those are not yet enough, she is also one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood, getting the credits of being the ninth-highest-grossing box office star of all time.
Kate Hudson
Everybody knows that Kate Hudson is the daughter of the Hollywood superstar Goldie Hawn and The Hudson Brothers vocalist Bill Hudson. With two famous parents, it is easy to assume that the 41-year-old star is not just from a renowned family but from a wealthy one, too. They were probably by listening to their financial advisor’s advice. No wonder the actress inherited a huge fortune from her mother.
This makes Kate the rich kid she is today with a net worth of $80 million. Anyhow, despite the riches, she still followed in the footsteps of her mom and joined the entertainment world. Aside from being an actress, Kate is also an author and fashion entrepreneur. She managed to make a name for herself and rose to prominence when she did Almost Famous in 2000.
Paris Hilton
Long before Paris Hilton made a name in the entertainment industry, she is already known as an heiress. She is the great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton, the founder of Hilton Hotels. They basically own the Hilton Hotels, which has been around for over 100 years and has 6,100 branches worldwide. However, according to reports, her grandfather, Barron Hilton, decided to leave his fortune to charity through the family’s foundation. Why? The decision had something to do with the controversies that Paris got into the past.
Anyhow, Paris knew how to spend her investment money wisely. The mid-2000s-It girl had a reality series of her own. She also had several albums to her name. In addition, the 39-year-old reality star has her own clothing and over 20 perfumes under her belt. Most recently, she dropped her controversial memoir.
Brooke Shields
Brooke Shields may have started her career as an actress and model at a young age, but she is actually born from a wealthy family. Her father, Francis Alexander Shields, was a well-known businessman and an executive at Revlon in New York. On the other hand, her mother, Teri Shields, was an actress, film producer, socialite, and model. With well-off parents, the 55-year-old star inherited a huge fortune for herself.
Although it wasn’t revealed how much exactly Brooke got from her mom and dad, according to reports, it was already included in her $40 million net worth. Her parents seemed to make sure their daughter would not need any money loan when they’re gone. Anyhow, with Brooke’s name and hard work, she will surely remain afloat.
Carly Simon
Carly Simon is the daughter of the ever-successful book publisher Richard L. Simon. The senior Simon was the co-founder of the publishing house, Simon & Schuster. However, Richard sold his investment in the company for $1 million in 1944. He tried to return to the publishing world and found success again. Sadly, he was gone in the 1960s. According to reports, Carly was only left with a $50,000 fortune by his father. Although the amount looked small, at the time, it was already a huge amount.
Also, Carly receives much of the credit as a pop star today than an heiress. She has made a name for herself as a singer, songwriter, musician and children’s author. She is now 75 years old and has two kids with former husband, James Taylor.
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg is one of Hollywood’s most iconic filmmakers. He has been given credit for pioneering the tradition of summer blockbusters, thanks to his 1975 film Jaws. Spielberg is also the creative force behind cinematic gems like Jurassic Park, ET the Extra-Terrestrial, Schindler’s List, and Saving Private Ryan. In recent years, Spielberg has released many award-winning movies, which have all received positive reviews from both viewers and critics alike. Given his success, Steven Spielberg has an approximate net worth of $3.7 billion. When he isn’t collecting film memorabilia or artworks, Spielberg shares part of his fortune to charity organizations. In fact, he is known as one of the most generous philanthropists in Hollywood. This doesn’t mean he is without personal luxuries, however!
The Kraft Family
Robert Kenneth Kraft is the chairman and CEO of the Kraft Group. He is also the owner of National Football League’s New England Patriots, Major League Soccer’s New England Revolution, and New England’s first e-sports team Boston Uprising. Kraft also owns Gillette Stadium. He started his career in paper products, providing packaging supplies to both Avon and Kodak. His successful business eventually led to the formation of the company, the Kraft Group. Over the years, the Kraft family has engaged in many charity programs, hoping to help in healthcare and education. Aside from Robert, his children, Jonathan, Daniel, Joshua, and David, have also gathered quite a fortune to their personal credit. With the family’s wealth combined, they’re worth approximately $6.2 billion.
Allegra Versace
Allegra Versace Beck is the daughter of fashion designer Donatella Versace and former fashion model Paul Beck. Ever since she was a child, Allegra has always been a fan of ballet. She later studied at Brown University, before transferring to the University of California in Los Angeles. There she studied French, art history, and theatre. Although she had been born to one of the most powerful families in fashion, Allegra prefers a quieter and more private life.
When Allegra was only 18 years old, she inherited 50% ownership of the Versace brand. The luxury brand was founded by her uncle, Gianni Versace. Since his initial investment, the company has grown in value and is now worth around $800 million. Allegra is currently the director of Versace.
The Kardashian-Jenner Family
With many of its members branching out into various business ventures, the Kardashian-Jenner family now have a combined net worth of at least $2 billion. Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian-West have made investments in the beauty industry with their multi-million dollar companies Kylie Cosmetics and KKW Beauty, respectively. In fact, Kylie has personal earnings of around $1 billion from her company. It made her one of the youngest self-made billionaires on Forbes’ list.
Kanye West, Kim Kardashian’s husband, is a rapper who has also branched out to businesses in fashion. His successful Yeezy brand, which is in partnership with Adidas, has earned him $140 million in royalties. It’s amazing how a bit of fame can be turned into a highly successful business empire, right?
The Duncan Family
Dan Duncan was born into a working-class household. His father worked as a farmer to support the family. When he grew up, Dan and his father went to work as pipeliners in the oil fields. They spent a few years in the business, but in 1968, Dan decided to risk some of his investments and started his own company. This was how Enterprise Products Company was born. Before long, they became one of America’s top providers of oil and gas pipelines.
His children, Dannine Avara, Milane Frantz, Randa Williams, and Randa Duncan Williams, share 8% of the family business. Their total inherited a fortune from their father and the company was approximately $10 billion. In time, they were able to double that value.
The Getty Family
Nowadays, the first thing that comes to people’s minds when the name Getty pops up would be the watermarked photos of celebrities that are available online. Prior to Mark Getty becoming chairman of Getty Images, however, the family business was in oil. It was his grandfather, Jean Paul Getty, who established the Getty Oil Company.
Later on, Gordon Getty, Jean Paul’s son, inherited the company. In 1986, he sold it off for $10 billion. Gordon then became a musical composer and has since received credit for composing the opera Plump Jack and Joan and the Bells. He also founded the company ReFlow. With the family members venturing into different businesses, the Getty family now has an accumulated net worth of $6 billion.
The Onassis Family
Athina Hélène Onassis is the sole surviving descendant of Aristotle Onassis, who earned a fortune through his investments in the shipping business. She began riding horses as a child and turned that passion into a career. Athina is an equestrian who eventually went on to compete as a Greek Citizen for the Avlona Riding Club. In 2013 and the following year, Athina Onassis also represented Greece in the European Show Jumping Championships. Her mother, Christina, inherited 55% of Aristotle’s fortune and eventually passed it to Athina. As of 2020, she has accumulated a net worth of $1 billion. With her career and co-ownership of AD Sport Horses, Athina has great potential within her when it comes to expanding her family’s fortune.
The Walton Family
Before Walmart became the world’s largest corporation in terms of revenue, Sam Walton started out with a small store that focused on selling good quality products for a lower price compared to other places. After expanding its branches in small towns instead of larger cities, Walton made enough investment money to further grow the business from the 190 stores in 1977 to a whopping 800 establishments in 1985.
Sam Walton’s family currently owns 50% of Walmart’s stock. As a family unit, they have accumulated as much as $200 billion as of 2020. Of course, the family fortune is expected to pass on to their children and grandchildren. Should their success continue through the generations, we can expect their net worth to increase as time goes on.
The Abramovich Family
Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich is a businessman who owns Millhouse LLC and is well-known for owning the premiere football club Chelsea FC. Roman’s daughter, Sofia, is an equestrian who has earned around $4 million from her career as a show-jumper. She has four horses to her name and is also very successful in her profession. In fact, she was once given the honor of representing Russia during international competitions.
With her father’s net worth of $12 billion, Sofia and her siblings don’t have to worry about financial issues such as student loans. Furthermore, even without her father’s inheritance, Sofia has also managed to earn a fair amount of fortune from the competitions she has joined. She is one independent woman who can handle her own.
The Rockefeller Family
John Davidson Rockefeller Sr. was a businessman who eventually became the wealthiest person in America and the richest person in modern history. If you think that’s an exaggeration—wait until you learn about his assets. He established Standing Oil, which was the beginning of his good fortune. After the company was split into 34 smaller companies, Rockefeller’s wealth soared even higher. This is thanks to each company earning more compared to when they were a single entity. These companies include Chevron Corporation and ExxonMobil.
Over the years, the Rockefeller family has accumulated approximately $10 billion, which is split between 174 family members. Each one has since ventured into different businesses. Overall, they have received at least $63 million from the oil business’ fortune.
The Mars Family
Franklin Clarence Mars created Mars Incorporated. The company is best known for making the chocolate bars that we love today, including Snickers and Milky Way. Eventually, his son, Forrest, inherited the company and claimed ownership over other brands like Pedigree and Whiskas. Another product that Forrest acquired during his time working in the company was M&M’s.
Mars, Incorporated is still going strong to this day, producing food for people and pets alike. Over the years and through their successful investments and other business ventures, the Mars family has accumulated a fortune of around $78 billion. We’re sure there is nothing sweeter than success that’s the product of family effort. Even sweeter is the fact that the family helps many different charitable institutions.
The Goldman Family
The Goldman family’s rise in fortune started in the 1950s when Sol Goldman purchased foreclosed properties around New York City. Although hurdles came his way throughout his career, these didn’t stop Sol from making more investments. He took risks, but was eventually able to purchase 600 buildings through Solil Management.
Sol’s children, Jane and Allan Goldman, inherited his business and managed the remaining real estate assets through Solil Management. With Jane serving as the company’s principal, she has a portfolio of around 400 properties to her name. This includes a block of land in Midtown Manhattan with the Olympic Tower, the Peninsula Hotel, and 17% of the World Trade Center. With their assets combined, the Goldman family currently shares a $13 billion fortune.
The Koch Family
Koch Industries, America’s second-largest privately owned business, was founded by Fred Chase Koch. After receiving his degree in chemical engineering from MIT in 1922, Fred Koch found work in the oil industry. In 1927, Koch developed a more efficient process of thermal cracking for turning crude oil into gasoline. In 1940, after ensuring his fortune, Fred Koch, along with other partners, created the Wood Oil and Refining Company – now known as Koch Industries.
Later on, his sons, Charles and David Koch, each inherited 42% of the company and expanded upon it. At present, they also produce pollution control equipment and technology, polymers, fibers, fertilizers, and other materials to cater to supply various industries. As of September 2020, the Koch Brothers have accumulated around $120 billion in assets.
The Johnson Family
Samuel Curtis Johnson Sr. first worked as a parquet flooring salesman for Racine Hardware Manufacturing Company. Eventually, he was able to save enough and buy out the business. He renamed it Johnson’s Prepared Paste Wax Company. The name was changed after a few years to SC Johnson & Son when his son, Herbert Fisk Johnson Sr. became a partner. Herbert is currently the Chairman and CEO of SC Johnson & Son.
Aside from producing wax-based items, the company also introduced products like Raid House & Garden Bug Killer, Glade, OFF!, and Pledge. The company has also bought ownership of brands like Method, Ecover, Babyganics, and Kiwi, further diversifying the products that they sell. At present, they have a net worth of $18.2 billion.
The Newhouse Family
The Newhouse Family’s fortune can be traced back to Samuel Irving Newhouse, back when he worked as a clerk for Judge Herman Lazarus. When Herman took over the newspaper Bayonne Times, he asked the then 17-year-old Newhouse to take care of the business. The young man focused their investments toward advertising and circulation, which helped the once failing Bayonne Times earn a significant profit within a year. Newhouse went on to purchase small, unprofitable newspaper publishers and transformed them into a profitable business.
Later on, Newhouse founded Advance Publications Incorporated, which currently owns publications like The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, and Vogue. His two sons, Samuel I. Newhouse, Jr. and Donald E. Newhouse, inherited the business and have further expanded their fortune, now worth $18.5 billion.
The Cathy Family
The Cathy family are behind the highly-successful Chick-Fil-A food chain business. Samuel Truett Cathy and his brother, Ben, established a diner called the Dwarf Grill, where they served chicken sandwiches to the Ford factory workers and airport employees who all worked nearby. Eventually, in 1967, Truett opened the first Chick-Fil-A restaurant in a mall in Atlanta. Thanks to his business investments, Chick-Fil-A has become a massive food chain with over 2,300 restaurants across America.
Of course, part of that success is due to the flavorful products they serve customers daily. Did you know that some of Truett’s children and grandchildren still work at Chick-Fil-A? This is one sincere family business. Thanks to their efforts, the Cathy family has accumulated a fortune of $11 billion.
The Grosvenor Family
Major General Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster, was a landowner and businessman who inherited the Grosvenor Estate and was ranked the second richest person in the UK. Since then, the Grosvenor Estate has expanded to a global scale, providing services across Canada, America, the Asia Pacific, and Europe. In 2016, Gerald Grosvenor had a net worth of $13 billion.
Hugh Richard Louis Grosvenor, 7th Duke of Westminster, inherited his father’s fortune, while his sisters received a trust fund. After graduating from Newcastle University, Hugh first worked in estate management at Wheatsheaf Investment before going to Grosvenor Group. He is also the Accounts Manager for Bio-Bean, a company working on developing green energy from recycled waste coffee grounds.
The Dorrance Family
The Campbell Soup Company is a snack and processed food business that now has ownership over brands like Pepperidge Farm, Snyder’s of Hanover, and Swanson. John Thompson Dorrance, initially, was a simple employee of the company. It was in 1987 when he invented condensed soup, which would go on to redefine the food industry. After becoming the company’s president and buying it off of the Campbell family, Dorrance worked on turning the brand into what it is now.
John T. Dorrance’s grandson, Bennett, currently owns a real estate firm. He is also a licensed pilot and has 15% ownership in the Campbell Soup Company. The Dorrance family have since accumulated around $17 billion, thanks to Campbell’s and their other business ventures.
The Arnault Family
Bernard Jean Étienne Arnault is the chairman and executive director of the world’s largest luxury-goods company, LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton SE. Outside of the LVMH Company, Arnault has also reportedly bought Princess Yachts and Royal van Lent for approximately $300 million. As of 2020, Bernard Arnault’s net worth is $83 billion.
Bernard’s daughter, Delphine Arnault, is currently part of LVMH’s management board group, becoming the youngest and first woman to join. Delphine is also a member of the board of directors for Céline, Moët Hennessy, M6, and, more recently, 20th Century Fox and Havas. Although she is expected to inherit a significant degree of fortune, Delphine isn’t taking things easy and continues to make a name for herself in business.
The Gallo Family
The E & J Gallo Winery was founded by Ernesto and Julio Gallo. It is now the world’s largest winery. Aside from finding success in the wine business, the third Gallo brother, Joseph, started his own cheese production business called Joseph Farms. It has been given awards for its use of renewable energy to supply electricity throughout the facility.
Eventually, the three brothers’ children and grandchildren inherited their wine and cheese businesses. The company would later acquire popular other brands, including the Gallo Family Vineyards, Barefoot Cellars, Frei Brothers, New Amsterdam, and Familia Camarena. With the general population’s love for exquisite cheese and great wine, there’s plenty of business for the Gallo’s. At present, their assets are valued at $10.7 billion and still increasing.
The Stryker Family
The Stryker Corporation is now a global business that provides products like surgical equipment, endoscopic and communications systems, and other devices used in the medical industry. The company was established in 1946 by Homer Stryker. Stryker graduated with a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Michigan Medical School, before working at Borgess Hospital.
In 1935, Stryker tinkered with medical devices in his workshop, eventually inventing the Stryker Saw, which was patented in 1947. Even to this day, it is the standard surgical tool for bone and plaster casts. Homer Stryker’s three grandchildren, Patricia, Jon, and Ronda, currently hold a portion of the company’s shares. Ronda holds a seat in the board of directors. The family also has an accumulated value of around $35 billion.
The Bezos Family
Jeffrey Preston Bezos is the founder of Amazon. Initially established as an online bookselling business, the company has since expanded its services to e-commerce, video and audio streaming, cloud computing, and AI. Outside of Amazon, Bezos also gets credit for founding the company Blue Origin in 2000. In 2015, Blue Origin had a successful test flight in space and is currently planning to pursue commercial suborbital human spaceflight.
Thanks to all of his business ventures, Bezos has an accumulated a net worth of $204.6 billion. According to Forbes, this makes him the first person in history according to have exceeded the $200 billion mark. Bezos also has many philanthropic efforts, which includes projects for the homeless, as well as providing free education.