Alice Walton, Jerry Jones, Basses among North Texans on Forbes billionaires list
March 2,2015
Ed Bass, one of four brothers who inherited and expanded the Sid Richardson oil fortune, has been a leader of development in downtown Fort Worth. | Paul Moseley Star-Telegram/Paul Moseley
Reposted from Star-Telegram
Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft Corp., topped Forbes magazine’s 2015 list of the world’s top billionaires for the second straight year with a net worth of $79.2 billion. In 2013, Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim Helu was on top. He ranked second this time ($77.1 billion), followed by Berkshire Hathaway’s Warren Buffett ($72.7 billion).
Forbes said it calculated each person’s net worth based on stock prices and exchange rates on Feb. 13, 2014.
A record 1,826 billionaires made the list in 2014, up from 1,645 in 2014. And there were a record 290 newcomers, including basketball great Michael Jordan.
Of course, North Texas has its own sports figures on the list, including the owners of the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks. Here’s a a look some of the wealthiest people in DFW who made the list:
No. 11 Alice Walton, 65, Fort Worth, $38.6 billion
An heiress to the Wal-Mart fortune, Walton moved to a ranch near Fort Worth because of her love of cutting horses. Involved in the art world, she led the opoening of the Crystal Bridges Art Museum in her Hometown of Bentonville, Ark., in 2011. Walton was one of 197 women on the Forbes billionaires list.
No. 381 Trevor Rees-Jones, 63, Dallas, $4.3 billion
A pioneer in drilling for natural gas in the Barnett Shale, his Chief Oil & Gas teamed with Ross Perot Jr. before selling his assets in 2008 before prices plunged. Later moved into Marcellus Shale in Northeast.
No. 393 Jerry Jones, 72, Dallas, $4.2 billion
Former oilman has built the Dallas Cowboys into the second most valuable sport franchise in the world.
No. 462 H. Ross Perot, 84, Dallas, $3.7 billion
Computer services entrepreneur founded and sold Electronic Data Systems and later Perot Systems. Unsuccessfully ran for president in 1992.
No. 577 Ray Davis, 73, Dallas, $3.1 billion
Lead investor in ownership of the Texas Rangers baseball team with Fort Worth oilman Bob Simpson, Davis built the natural gas pipeline company Energy Transfer Partners.
No. 603 Mark Cuban, 56, Dallas, $3 billiion
Owner of the Dallas Mavericks and star of TV’s Shark Tank, the technology entrepreneur made his fortune by selling Broadcast.com to Yahoo for $5.7 billion in 2000.
No. 663 Richard Rainwater, 70, Fort Worth, $2.8 billion
Legendary investor got his start managing investments for the Bass family and later broke out to do his own deals. Stricken with progressive suprenuclear palsy, an incurable neurodegenerative disease, in 2009, his foundation has poured more than $50 million into research to develop treatments.
No. 690 Robert Bass, 67, Fort Worth, $2.7 billion
One of four brothers who inherited and expanded Sid Richardson’s oil fortune, Bass founded the Oak Hill investment firm.
No. 714 David Bonderman, 72, Fort Worth, $2.6 billion
Former adviser to Fort Worth investor Robert Bass, founded Texas Pacific Group and built TPG into a leading private equity investment firm.
No. 949 Lee Bass, 58, Fort Worth, $2 billion
No. 949 Ed Bass, 70, Fort Worth, $2 billion
Two of four brothers who inherited and expanded fortune from oilman Sid Richardson. Ed Bass has been known for active involvement in family real estate holdings in downtown Fort Worth and was recently a driving force behind the new Fort Worth area, which was approved by voters in November.
No. 1,105. Ross Perot Jr., 56, Dallas, $1.8 billion
The son of computer services magnet Ross Perot has made his fortune in real estate, most notably the AllianceTexas project in north Fort Worth.
No. 1,118 Sid Bass, 72, Fort Worth, $1.7 billion
Heir to the Sid Richardson oil fortune, expanded wealth by investing with three brothers. Moved back to Fort Worth permanently after divorce from Mercedes Bass in 2011.
No. 1,386 Dan Wilks, 58, Cisco, $1.4 billion
No. 1,386 Farris Wilks, 63, Cisco, $1.4 billion
The Wilks brothers sold Frac Tech, a hydraulic fracturing services company, to a partnership led by Singapore’s Temasek Holdings for $3.5 billion in 2011. The company, now called FTS International, is based in Fort Worth.
Source: Forbes magazine
Ten richest on Forbes billionaires list
1. Bill Gates, $79.2 billion, U.S.
Source of wealth: Technology company Microsoft Corp.
2. Carlos Slim Helu, $77.1 billion, Mexico
Source of wealth: Telecommunications
3. Warren Buffett, $72.7 billion, U.S.
Source of wealth: Investment holding company Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
4. Amancio Ortega, $64.5 billion, Spain
Source of wealth: Retail chain Zara
5. Larry Ellison, $54.3 billion, U.S.
Source of wealth: Technology company Oracle Corp.
6, 7. Charles Koch, David Koch, $42.9 billion, U.S.
Source of wealth: Conglomerate Koch Industries.
8. Christy Walton, $41.7 billion, U.S.
Source of wealth: Retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
9. Jim Walton, $40.6 billion, U.S.
Source of wealth: Retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
10. Liliane Bettencourt, $40.1 billion, France
Source of wealth: Cosmetics company L'Oreal
Source: Forbes