More and more women will enter Forbes 400 as the years go by, but we can look at this year’s women as pioneers. There is still a long way to go to reach parity between women and men.
20. Ronda Stryker
Net worth: $5.6 billion
Source: medical equipment
Ronda Stryker is a director of Stryker Corp, a medical equipment company founded by her grandfather. She inherited a stake in the company after her parents died.
19. Nancy Walton Laurie
Net worth: $5.7 billion
Source: Walmart
Nancy Walton Laurie inherited her fortune from her father, Bud Walton. When Bud died in 1995, she and her sister, Ann Walton-Kroenke, received enough Walmart stock to make them both billionaires.
18. Marijke Mars
Net worth: $6 billion
Source: Mars
Marijke Mars and her three sisters are heirs to the family’s giant candy company, Mars Inc.
17. Pamela Mars
Net worth: $6 billion
Source: Mars
Pamela Mars inherited an 8% stake in Mars Inc. when her father died in 2016.
16. Valerie Mars
Net worth: $6 billion
Source: Mars
Valerie also inherited an 8% stake in Mars Inc.
15. Victoria Mars
Net worth: $6 billion
Source: Mars
The eldest daughter of Forrest Mars Jr. inherited an 8% stake in the family company, just like her sisters.
14. Randa Williams
Net worth: $6.2 billion
Source: pipelines
Randa Duncan Williams is the non-executive chairman of Enterprise Products Partners, the pipeline giant. She is the only one of four siblings involved in running the family business. All four inherited equal stakes in the company.
13. Margaret Taylor
Net worth: $6.2 billion
Source: media and automative
Margaret Taylor inherited an estimated 17% stake in Cox Enterprises from her mother. The company has $20 billion in revenues. The company was founded by her grandfather in 1898.
12. Katharine Rayner
Net worth: $6.2 billion
Source: media and automative
Rayner inherited an estimated 17% stake in Cox Enterprises from her mother, just like Margaret Taylor.
11. Milane Frantz
Net worth: $6.2 billion
Source: pipelines
Milane Frantz and her three siblings inherited Enterprise Products Partners, the energy pipeline giant, from their father Dan Duncan when he died in 2010.
10. Dannine Avara
Net worth: $6.2 billion
Source: pipelines
Dannine Avara and her three siblings inherited Enterprise Products Partners, the energy pipeline giant, from their father Dan Duncan when he died in 2010.
9. Ann Walton Kroenke
Net worth: $6.5 billion
Source: Walmart
Ann Walton-Kroenke is the daughter of Bud Walton, who helped turn Walmart into the retail giant that we know. She inherited part of Bud’s stake in the retailer when he died in 1995.
8. Diane Hendricks
Net worth: $6.8 billion
Source: Roofing
Diane Hendricks chairs ABC Supply, one of the largest wholesale distributors of roofing, siding and windows in the USA. She cofounded that business with her late husband 36 years ago. She has run it since his death in 2007.
7. Christy Walton
Net worth: $7.2 billion
Source: Walmart
Christy Walton married into the richest family in the world. She inherited her fortune when her husband, John Walton, died in a place crash in 2005.
6. Pauline MacMillan Keinath
Net worth: $7.8 billion
Source: Cargill
Pauline MacMillan Keinath is allegedly the biggest shareholder of Cargill, which is the largest food company in the world.
5. Blair Parry-Okeden
Net worth: $9.3 billion
Source: media and automotive
Blair Parry-Okeden inherited a 25% share in Cox Enterprises in 2007 after her mother, Barbara Cox Anthony, died. Cox Enterprises is a $20 billion automotive and media company based in Atlanta.
4. Abigail Johnson
Net worth: $17.3 billion
Source: money management
Abigail Johnson’s grandfather is Edward Johnson II, founder of mutual fund giant Fidelity Investments. She has served as CEO since 2014 and as chairman of the company since 2016. She took over these roles from her father Edward “Ned” Johnson III.
3. Laurene Powell Jobs
Net worth: $20.5 billion
Source: Apple
Laurene Powell Jobs is the widow of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. She mostly inherited her fortune from him. She founded and chairs the Emerson Collective, which is an organization that uses entrepreneurship to advance social reforms and assist needy students.
2. Jacqueline Mars
Net worth: $20.5 billion
Source: Mars candies
Jacqueline Mars owns an estimated third of Mars, which is the largest candymaker in the world. This candy empire was founded by her grandfather Frank Mars in 1911.
1. Alice Walton
Net worth: $44.9 billion
Source: Walmart
Alice Walton is the only daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton. Unlike her two brothers, who chose to work for Walmart, she instead focused on curating art.
