NEW YORK: Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates remains the nation’s richest man by far, as the tech and philanthropy giant took the top spot on the Forbes 400 list for the 19th year running, with a net worth of $66 billion.
Investor Warren Buffett, the head of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., again took second with $46 billion, while Oracle Corp. co-founder Larry Ellison remains third with $41 billion and brothers Charles and David Koch, co-owners of Koch Industries Inc., tied for fourth with $31 billion.
Three people from Ohio made the list: Limited Brands’ Leslie Wexnar, 75, of New Albany, with $4.4 billion is at number 83; Iams pet food founder Clayton Mathile, 71, of Brookville, with $1.9 billion, is at 250; real estate developer and former professional sports team owner Denise DeBartolo York, 61, of Youngstown, with $1.1 billion, is at 392.
The soon-to-be Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, 58, is listed at 360 with $1.2 billion. The chief executive of truck stop operator Pilot Corp. and Flying J lives in Knoxville, Tenn.
Forbes said the rich mainly got richer in 2012, with net worth rising for 241 members of its list and shrinking for only 66. Rising stock prices, a rebound in real estate values and rare art prices helped.
More members of the Walton family, the founders of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., moved up into the top 10, displacing investor George Soros and Las Vegas Sands Corp. founder Sheldon Adelson. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who made his fortune with the financial data services firm Bloomberg LP, is also back at No. 10.