Gayle Benson is an American billionaire businesswoman, philanthropist, and owner of the NFL’s New Orleans Saints and NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans. A New Orleans native, she assumed control of both franchises after the death of her husband, Tom Benson, in 2018, becoming one of the most powerful women in professional sports and a major civic force in Louisiana through sports ownership, business leadership, Catholic philanthropy, and Gulf South community development.

Richard Schulze, founder and chairman emeritus of Best Buy, built one of America’s largest consumer electronics retailers from a small audio store launched in Minnesota in 1966. After surviving industry shifts from stereo equipment to personal computing and e-commerce, he expanded Best Buy into a nationwide retail powerhouse. Following his departure from day-to-day leadership, Schulze became increasingly active in philanthropy, particularly through the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation’s work in health and human services.

Gail Miller, owner of the Larry H. Miller Group, turned a family auto-dealership business into one of Utah’s largest private fortunes. After her husband Larry’s death in 2009, she led the company through major changes, including the $3.2 billion sale of its dealership business and the $1.66 billion sale of the Utah Jazz. Her group now spans real estate, healthcare, finance, sports, and entertainment, while Miller remains a major force in Utah business and philanthropy.

Judith “Judy” Faulkner, founder and CEO of Epic Systems, built one of the most important healthcare software companies in the U.S. after launching it in a Wisconsin basement in 1979. Epic’s electronic medical record software is used by leading hospitals and health systems, supporting records for hundreds of millions of patients. Faulkner has kept Epic private, avoided venture capital and acquisitions, and pledged most of her fortune to philanthropy.

Maurice Marciano, cofounder of Guess, helped build the Los Angeles denim label into a global fashion brand after launching it with his brothers in 1981. Known for his role in the company’s product, merchandising, and retail growth, he helped turn Guess’s fitted jeans and black-and-white advertising into defining symbols of 1980s and 1990s fashion. He later stepped back from the company’s board in 2023 and is also known as a major contemporary art collector and cofounder of the Marciano Art Foundation.

Piero Ferrari, vice chairman and second-largest shareholder of Ferrari, is the only living son of founder Enzo Ferrari and one of the enduring custodians of the world’s most iconic luxury automotive brand. Long involved in the company’s engineering and strategic direction, he became a billionaire as Ferrari’s public-market value soared, while preserving a rare direct link to the marque’s founding family. With a significant ownership stake and decades inside the business, Ferrari remains one of the most influential figures behind the company’s legacy and long-term identity.

Haim Saban, founder and CEO of Saban Capital Group, built a global fortune at the intersection of media, entertainment, and investing, rising from children’s television producer to billionaire dealmaker. Best known for creating Power Rangers and later extending his reach through major media and telecom investments, he has spent decades turning pop-culture success into broad financial influence. Saban remains one of the most prominent figures to bridge entertainment entrepreneurship and large-scale global investing.

Edward DeBartolo Jr., former owner of the San Francisco 49ers and heir to a shopping center fortune, built a rare legacy spanning both real estate wealth and sports dominance. Best known for overseeing the 49ers’ dynasty years, during which the franchise won five Super Bowls, he also remained tied to one of America’s most prominent mall-developing families. Though later overshadowed by legal controversy, DeBartolo endures as one of the most consequential figures in modern NFL ownership.

Dwight Schar, founder of NVR, built one of America’s largest homebuilding companies by turning NVHomes and the later Ryan Homes combination into a dominant force in residential construction. After surviving a bruising bankruptcy in the early 1990s, he helped reshape the company into a highly efficient, asset-light operator and remained a major figure in U.S. housing long after stepping back from day-to-day leadership. Known for disciplined growth and significant philanthropy, Schar stands as one of the most successful fortunes in American homebuilding.

David Capobianco, founder, CEO, and managing partner of Five Point, built one of the most influential private investment firms focused on energy and infrastructure. Since founding the Houston-based firm in 2012, he has helped turn it into a major force in water midstream, land, and related infrastructure, while also extending its reach through ventures such as LandBridge. Known for disciplined dealmaking and long-term conviction in hard assets, Capobianco has emerged as a standout figure in the modern energy-infrastructure investing boom.

Pat Neal, founder and chairman of the executive committee of Neal Communities, built one of Florida’s most successful private homebuilding companies by focusing on large-scale residential development in the state’s high-growth markets. Since founding the business in 1970, he has helped oversee the construction of more than 25,000 homes and lots, pairing real estate scale with decades of influence in Florida business and public life. Known for long-term control, disciplined expansion, and deep regional reach, Neal has become one of the most prominent figures in Florida homebuilding.

Thomas Bradbury, founder and executive chairman of Smith Douglas Homes, built his fortune by focusing on affordable, entry-level housing in high-growth Southeastern markets. A veteran homebuilder with nearly five decades in the industry, he previously founded Colony Homes before launching Smith Douglas in 2008 and later taking it public. Known for disciplined expansion and a sharp read on middle-market demand, Bradbury has become one of the standout figures in America’s homebuilding boom.

Peter Guber, chairman and CEO of Mandalay Entertainment, is a veteran Hollywood producer and entrepreneur who has built a cross-platform empire spanning film, television, sports, and digital media. After earlier leadership roles at major studios, he founded Mandalay in 1995 and went on to produce or back commercially successful projects while extending his reach into sports ownership and media investing. Known for combining storytelling instincts with sharp business strategy, Guber remains one of the most influential dealmakers in entertainment.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, actor, businessman, and former California governor, turned global fame in bodybuilding and Hollywood into a billion-dollar brand spanning entertainment, real estate, and investments. After rising from Austrian bodybuilder to blockbuster star through franchises like Terminator, he expanded his influence into politics and entrepreneurship, building one of the most recognizable personal empires in modern celebrity culture. He remains a rare figure whose success spans sport, film, business, and public life.

Dick Wolf, creator of Law & Order and founder of Wolf Entertainment, built one of the most durable empires in television by turning procedural crime drama into a scalable franchise model. Over decades, he expanded beyond Law & Order into the Chicago and FBI universes, becoming one of Hollywood’s most prolific and commercially successful producers. Known for relentless output, disciplined storytelling, and extraordinary syndication value, Wolf has become a defining force in modern television business.

Gary Chouest, president and CEO of Edison Chouest Offshore, leads one of the most important privately held maritime service empires in the United States, built from the Louisiana vessel business founded by his father in 1960. Under his leadership, the company has expanded into a vast offshore fleet serving oil, gas, offshore wind, shipbuilding, and national-security markets, helping make Edison Chouest a cornerstone of U.S. marine logistics and deepwater operations. Known for a low public profile and long-term industrial vision, Chouest has become one of the defining figures in American offshore shipping.

Albert H. Nahmad, founder, chairman, and CEO of Watsco, has spent more than five decades building the company into North America’s largest distributor of air-conditioning, heating, and refrigeration equipment and parts. Since taking control in 1972, Nahmad helped transform Watsco from a modest manufacturer into a dominant HVAC/R distribution platform serving thousands of contractors through an expanding network of locations, joint ventures, and acquisitions. Known for disciplined capital allocation, long-term value creation, and steady operational execution, he has made Watsco one of the most successful compounders in industrial distribution.

Willis Johnson, founder and chairman of Copart, built one of the most dominant businesses in auto remarketing by turning a single salvage auction yard in California into a global online vehicle auction powerhouse. Since launching Copart in 1982, Johnson helped redefine how insurers, dealers, dismantlers, and buyers transact damaged and used vehicles, scaling the company through technology, logistics, and a highly efficient auction model. He served as CEO until 2010 and has remained chairman since 2004, continuing to shape the company’s long-term direction as Copart expanded internationally and became a major force in digital auto auctions.

William C. Young, founder of Plastipak, built one of the world’s largest privately held plastic packaging and recycling companies by focusing on engineering innovation, operational scale, and long-term family ownership. Since cofounding the business in 1967 with his parents, Young expanded Plastipak into a global supplier serving major food, beverage, and consumer products companies across dozens of facilities worldwide. Under his leadership, the company became a major force in PET packaging and bottle-to-bottle recycling, combining manufacturing scale with sustainability investment. Following his 2024 transition from the CEO role, Young continued as chairman while the company moved to its next generation of leadership.

William Koch, energy investor and member of the prominent Koch family, built a diversified fortune through oil, commodities trading, and industrial investments while operating independently of Koch Industries. As founder of Oxbow Carbon, he developed a global business focused on petroleum coke, sulfur, and related energy materials, supplying utilities and industrial customers worldwide. Known for high-profile legal battles, yachting victories, and major art and wine collecting, Koch combines traditional energy entrepreneurship with a strong presence in philanthropy and cultural patronage.