News & Politics

Billionaire City: The Forbes 400 List Has a Bunch of DC People

The list of the richest Americans includes a number with local ties.

Photograph by Pictures of Money/Flickr.

Forbes released its annual list of the 400 richest people in America this week. A bunch of these billionaires have ties to the DC area, with net worths ranging from $3.3 to $161 billion. Here’s your guide to the big earners and their connections to Washington:

 

Ranking: No. 2

Jeff Bezos

Net worth: $161 billion

The Amazon founder has owned the Washington Post since 2013, as well as Blue Origin, the aerospace company with offices in DC and Reston. He has a mega-home in Kalorama.

 

Ranking: No. 19

Jacqueline Mars and John Mars

Net worth: $38.9 billion

These siblings each own a third of the candy company Mars, Inc., headquartered in McLean. Jacqueline lives in the Plains, Virginia, and sits on the board of the Washington National Opera and the National Sporting Library & Museum. John currently resides in Wyoming, but he was born in Arlington and formerly lived in Fairfax County.

 

Ranking: No. 76

Pamela Mars, Marijke Mars, Victoria Mars, and Valerie Mars

Net worth: $9.7 billion

The other one-third share of Mars, Inc., is split between the four daughters of Forrest Mars Jr., John and Jacqueline’s late brother. All four sisters are involved in the company, headquartered in McLean. Pamela lives in Alexandria.

 

Ranking: No. 140

Steve Bisciotti

Net worth: $7.2 billion

Steve Bisciotti founded the nation’s largest staffing firm, Aerotek, and co-founded the talent management company Allegis Group with his cousin, Jim Davis (No. 264). The companies are headquartered in Hanover, Maryland. Bisciotti also owns the Baltimore Ravens.

 

Ranking: No. 147

Josh Harris

Net worth: $6.9 billion

The new majority owner of the Washington Commanders was born in Chevy Chase and attended the Field School in DC.

 

Ranking: No. 171

Annette Lerner

Net worth: $6.5 billion

Chevy Chase resident Annette Lerner was married to Ted Lerner, founder of Washington real estate company Lerner Enterprises and owner of the Washington Nationals, who died earlier this year. The family is a regular donor to Children’s National Hospital and George Washington University. Ted and Annette were also founding members of the United States Holocaust Museum.

 

Ranking: No. 244

Mitchell Rales

Net worth: $4.7 billion

The co-founder of DC-headquartered conglomerate Danaher is the president of the National Gallery of Art’s board and a limited partner in the Washington Commanders. The Bethesda native is also well known as the guy—along with his wife, Emily—behind the Glenstone museum in Potomac.

 

Ranking: No. 264

Jim Davis

Net worth: $4.4 billion

Davis co-founded the management company Allegis Group with Steve Bisciotti. He lives in Cockeysville, Maryland.

 

Ranking: No. 278

Dan Snyder

Net worth: $4.1 billion

The former owner of the Washington Commanders sold the team for $6.05 billion in July. The initial source of his wealth was Snyder Communications, an advertising company he started with his sister in 1988 and sold for $2 billion in 2000.

 

Ranking: No. 295

Daniel D’Aniello

Net worth: $3.8 billion

D’Aniello, who lives in Virginia, is a co-founder and chairman of DC private equity firm the Carlyle Group. He is the chairman of the Wolf Trap Foundation, the performing arts nonprofit where First Lady Jill Biden is the honorary chair.

 

Ranking: No. 326

David Rubenstein

Net worth: $3.5 billion

Another co-founder of the Carlyle Group, he currently serves as co-chairman of the board. He also sits on the boards of the Kennedy Center and the National Gallery of Art. He has made donations to numerous DC organizations and causes, including the Washington Monument, National Zoo, Library of Congress, and the Lincoln Memorial. The panda habitat at the zoo is named for him. He lives in Bethesda.

 

Ranking: No. 345

William Conway Jr.

Net worth: $3.3 billion

Rounding out the three billionaire co-founders of Carlyle Group is William Conway Jr. He is currently co-chair with David Rubenstein and lives in McLean.

Brooke Spach
Editorial Fellow