Net Worth: $4 Billion
Industry: Construction and Defense
Notable Member(s): Brendan Bechtel
Claim to Fame: The Bechtel Corporation
The Bechtel name is attached to quite a few industries, including construction, finance, transportation, and defense. The Bechtel Corporation, which is based in Virginia, got its start all the way back in 1906 when Warren Bechtel helped build the Western Pacific Railroad. In 1919, they started to expand into other areas, such as hydroelectricity.
In the early 1930s, Bechtel did something legendary when he helped to create the Hoover Dam – a project which cost about $50 million, which would equal out to over $850 million in 2019. Then, during WWII, the company tried its hand at building warships and ended up making nearly 600 of them over a span of just 4 years. In the late ’40s, however, the corporation got its hands on a piece of the oil industry and helped build one of the world’s largest oil pipelines in the Middle East. In the 1950s, they began building nuclear power plants all over the world. The multinational mogul was ranked as the 8th largest private company in the United States by Forbes in 2017.
The Meijers
Net Worth: $7.2 Billion
Industry: Food and Retail
Notable Member(s): Hank Meijer
Claim to Fame: Meijer’s Supermarkets
Anyone from the Midwest might recognize the name Meijer from the popular chain of supermarkets that are spread across those states. The family has made several of Forbes’ lists, including being one of the 6 families from Michigan “worth 27.3 Billion.” The empire was first started by Hendrik Meijer in 1934, in Grand Rapids.
In fact, Hendrik Meijer has been given credit for being the person who came up with the modern supermarket idea to begin with – meaning that he was the first person who started selling grocery items in bulk at a store that also sold other, general items in bulk. The chain prides itself on each store being built from the ground up – they don’t like to buy out other stores. Today, Meijer has over 200 stores and is one of the fastest growing chains in the United States. Most of their stores are located throughout Michigan, Ohio and Indiana, although they have begun to expand further and further outside of the Midwest. The company is currently run by Doug and Hank Meijer.
The Yangs
Net Worth: $2.5 Billion
Industry: Internet
Notable Member(s): Jerry Yang
Claim to Fame: Yahoo!
Jerry Yang met David Filo when he was attending Stanford and working as a software engineer. A couple of years after the pair started talking, they co-founded Yahoo and started raking in billions together. In fact, after they launched the site in 1994, it gained its first million views pretty quickly.
Yang moved to America from Taiwan when he was just 10 years old and says that only knew one word in English when he arrived: shoe. But 3 years later, he was fluent and on his way to a very bright future. In fact, after Yahoo started to see some major investments, Yang made MIT Technology Review’s list of the 100 top innovators under 35. Yang is married to his wife, Akiko, whom he also met while attending Stanford. He’s no longer involved with Yahoo, but he holds a seat on several boards, including The Lenovo Group, and often donates to charity. In 2017, the couple gave $25 million to the Asian Art Museum, the largest amount they’ve ever seen pledged.
The Jordans
Net Worth: $2 Billion
Notable Member(s): Michael Jordan
Industry: Sports and Entertainment
Claim to Fame: Space Jam
Michael Jordan is one of the biggest names in basketball in the history of…well, ever. He’s so good that all sorts of stuff have been named in his honor, like a lot of Nike’s shoes. Jordan has also been featured in a variety of television shows and movies, such as Space Jam in 1996. Jordan originally launched his career when playing in the NBA for the Chicago Bulls.
These days, many consider Jordan to be the single greatest player in the history of the sport. He honors his roots in the game by remaining active as the owner of the Charlotte Hornets. He currently holds the title of the 3rd wealthiest African American in the United States and the richest basketball player in the world. Jordan’s family, including his wife, model Yvette Prieto, and their twin daughters, live quite comfortably, knowing they’re backed by a nearly $2 billion net worth. The Jordan family owns several car dealerships throughout the U.S, and Michael has written a few bestselling books, including a cookbook and a few autobiographies.
The Mars’
Net Worth: $90 Billion
Industry: Food
Notable Member(s): Frank C. Mars
Claim to Fame: Snickers
In 1923, Frank C. Mars would do something that would alter the course of history forever. There, in his home in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Frank created the Milky Way bar. But that little piece of heavenly goodness was only the beginning for Frank and the Mars empire. Following the Milky Way came all of everyone’s Halloween (and Tuesday) favorites – M&M’s, Twix, and of course, Skittles.
Originally, there was also a “Mars bar,” on the market. But as popular as they were in England, everyone in the United States seemed to prefer the Milky Way, so they pulled them from U.S shelves and rebranded them as chocolate bars with almonds. Frank, who originally learned how to make candy from his mother, created one of the greatest candy businesses in history. When Mr. Mars first started selling his delicious goodness, he opted for the wholesale route. Unfortunately, he just couldn’t get everything up and running at first, so he started small, pitching his candy to stores around his hometown, and other areas of Minnesota. Today, the business makes over $30 billion each year.