When you think of the uber-wealthy, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg probably come to mind. This year’s rankings by Forbes of the 400 Richest People in America place five people with NoVA connections on the list, including the chairman of the Wolf Trap Foundation.
To make the coveted annual ranking, Forbes said folks had to be worth a minimum of $3.3 billion. That’s $400 million more than in 2023.
Musk, Bezos, and Zuckerberg come in first, second, and third place.
But in the top 20, you will find heiress Jacqueline Mars, who lives in The Plains in Fauquier County. The 84-year-old owns one-third of McLean-based Mars, the privately owned candy and pet care company. She’s No. 19 on the list with a net worth of $47.6 billion.
Mars, according to Forbes, sits on the board of the National Archives and previously had a seat on the Washington National Opera’s board. She ties in worth with her brother, John Mars, who lives in Wyoming.
Her 64-year-old niece, Pamela Mars of Alexandria, ranks 77th with a net worth of $11.9 billion. She acquired VCA, an animal hospital chain, in 2017. Other Mars heirs also are on the list.
Daniel D’Aniello, one of three billionaire founders of private equity firm Carlyle Group, has a net worth of $4.3 billion. The 78-year-old Vienna resident, who chairs the Wolf Trap Foundation’s Board of Directors, came it at No. 319.
William Conway Jr., who’s 75 and another Carlyle Group co-founder, comes in at 347th, with a net worth of $3.8 billion. The third co-founder, David Rubenstein of Bethesda, Maryland, who is the controlling owner of the Baltimore Orioles, also is on the list.
Michael Saylor, founder and chairman of Tysons-based tech company MicroStrategy, ranks at No. 338. While Forbes lists the bitcoin billionaire as a Vienna resident, Virginia Business said he actually lives in Florida.
Another Virginian, Winifred Marquart of Virginia Beach is listed as No. 283. She’s 65 and the president of the Johnson Family Foundation. She’s an heir to the family-owned SC Johnson company.
Well-Known Marylanders on ‘Forbes’ List
Some familiar names appear on the list of Maryland billionaires. Annette Lerner, whose husband Ted died in 2023, is listed with a net worth of $5.8 billion. Other Marylanders of the Forbes ranking include the following:
- Mitchell Rales of Potomac, $5.1 billion
- Dan Snyder of Potomac, $4.5 billion
- Jim Davis of Cockeysville, $4.3 billion
- David Rubenstein of Bethesda, $3.8 billion
New to the list is Todd Graves, founder and CEO of Raising Cane’s, which will open its fourth chicken joint in NoVA on Thursday. The Louisiana resident has a net worth of $9.5 billion.
Feature image, stock.adobe.com
For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine’s News newsletter.
