Orange County has more than its share of home-grown wealth, as this week’s list of OC’s Wealthiest attests. There are 35 entries that combine to account for $42.5 billion, according to our estimates.
OC also hosts all kinds of well-heeled part-timers—wealthy folks who keep homes here for weekends or occasional visits to soak up our prime weather, beaches, arts and entertainment, shopping and dining.
Here are some notably wealthy individuals who have homes here for their leisure:
• Billie Joe Armstrong, lead singer of rock band Green Day
• Bruce Becker, chairman, casino operator Becker Gaming Inc.
• Scott Blum, founder, Buy.com, ThinkTank LLC
• Warren Buffett, chairman, chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., “Oracle of Omaha”; Buffett sold a home in Laguna Beach last year but has done so before only to resurface quietly in another fabulous OC property
• Mitchell Chait, entertainment entrepreneur
• Jim Easton, chairman, chief executive, Easton Sports Inc.
• Frank Fertitta, principal owner of Las Vegas Station Casino, Ultimate Fighting Championship
• Benson Ford Jr., great-grandson of Henry Ford
• Russell Goldsmith, chief executive, City National Bank
• Jerry Herbst, owner, chairman, president, Terrible Herbst Inc.
• Earvin “Magic” Johnson, five-time NBA champion with Los Angeles Lakers
• Steve Johnson, founding partner, chief executive, Sage Hill Partners; cofounder, Johnson-Grace Co.
• Jürgen Klinsmann, U.S. national soccer coach, former German soccer player, manager
• Joel Laub, chief executive, Astoria Homes LLC
• Charles Mathewson, chairman emeritus, International Game Technology
• Hiro Matsushita, grandson of Panasonic Corp. founder Konosuke Matsushita
• David Merage, cofounder, Chef America Inc., brother of Paul Merage (see this year’s entry)
• Steven Mihaylo, founder, Inter-Tel Inc.
• Arte Moreno, owner of Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
• Paxson Offield, president, Santa Catalina Island Co.
• Gary Primm, former chairman, chief executive, Primadonna Resorts Inc.
• Blake Sartini, chairman, chief executive, Golden Gaming Inc.
• Alan Simon, chairman, Omaha Steaks International Inc.
• Ken Sullivan, cofounder, principal, Centra Properties LLC
• Steven F. Udvar-Hazy, chief executive, Air Lease Corp.
• Eddie Van Halen, guitarist, cofounder of rock band Van Halen
• Tiger Woods, pro golfer, sale of home in Corona del Mar pending
