Forbes’ latest list of billionaires included nine people from Orange County.
Donald Bren, chairman of Newport Beach-based developer Irvine Company, had the highest ranking of OC residents included in the magazine’s list at No. 69, with an estimated net worth of $12 billion.
The magazine ranked 1,153 billionaires from throughout the world.
Telecom magnate Carlos Slim Helu of Mexico topped the list with an estimated net worth of $69 billion.
All of the local entries on the Forbes list also were included in the Business Journal’s OC’s Wealthiest list, in August. Forbes uses a variety of methods to determine the rankings, as does the Business Journal. The Forbes list reflects information as of March.
The Business Journal estimated Bren’s net worth at $12.5 billion, the highest listed.
Oakley Inc. and Red.com Inc. founder Jim Jannard was No. 377 on the Forbes at $3 billion and No. 2 on the Business Journal list with $3.1 billion.
David Sun and John Tu, co-owners of Kingston Technology Co. in Fountain Valley, tied at No. 418 with $2.8 billion on Forbes’ list. The duo tied for No. 3 on our list with $2.75 billion. Igor Olenicoff of Newport Beach-based Olen Properties Corp. was No. 464 on the Forbes list at $2.5 billion. The Business Journal listed him at No. 5. Bill Gross, cofounder of Newport Beach-based Pacific Investment Management Co., was No. 578 on the Forbes list with $2.2 billion. He was No. 7 on the Business Journal list.
Tied at No. 719 on the Forbes list were Broadcom Corp. cofounder and Anaheim Ducks owner Henry Samueli and Arnel & Affiliates owner George Argyros, each with $1.8 billion. Samueli was No. 6 on the Business Journal list with $2.3 billion; Argyros was No. 9 on our list with $1.3 billion.
Broadcom Corp. cofounder Henry Nicholas was ranked No. 913 by Forbes with $1.4 billion. He was No. 8 on the Business Journal list with $1.6 billion.
The Business Journal listed three additional billionaires for a total 12 from OC: heiresses Caroline Getty and Anne Catherine Getty Earhart, each with a personal net worth estimated at $1 billion, and Chef America Inc. cofounder Paul Merage at $1 billion.
The Business Journal will publish this year’s OC’s Wealthiest list in August.
—Heidi Kulicke
