Mark Cuban, entrepreneur, investor, and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, is one of the most recognizable figures in American business, known for turning bold bets into transformative ventures. After selling Broadcast.com to Yahoo! at the height of the dot-com boom, Cuban built a diversified portfolio spanning sports, media, technology, and healthcare. He later disrupted pharmaceutical pricing through the Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, applying direct-to-consumer economics to lower drug costs. Outspoken, data-driven, and intensely competitive, Cuban blends venture investing with consumer advocacy, making him a defining personality in modern entrepreneurship.

Kenny Troutt, billionaire entrepreneur and founder of Excel Communications, built his fortune by pioneering long-distance telecommunications sales through network marketing, later selling the company to Teleglobe for billions. After exiting telecom, he turned his focus to thoroughbred horse breeding and racing, creating WinStar Farm in Kentucky, which has produced multiple classic winners, including Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes champions. Known for his competitive spirit, strategic investment style, and passion for racing, Troutt has become a major figure in American equestrian sports while maintaining a diverse personal investment portfolio.

Kenneth Fisher, founder and executive chairman of Fisher Investments, is one of the most influential voices in modern investing, known for combining empirical market research with accessible financial commentary. Since launching Fisher Investments in 1979, he has grown the firm into a multi-hundred-billion-dollar global asset manager serving private clients and institutions across North America and Europe. A bestselling author and longtime columnist, Fisher popularized the use of price-to-sales ratio in stock analysis and has written extensively on behavioral finance and investor psychology. With a career spanning five decades, he remains a leading advocate of evidence-based investing and long-term market discipline.

Kelcy Warren, cofounder and executive chairman of Energy Transfer, built one of North America’s largest pipeline and midstream energy networks through aggressive dealmaking, operational scale, and a deep understanding of U.S. oil and gas logistics. Since launching Energy Transfer in 1996, he has overseen a sweeping expansion across natural gas, crude, and NGL infrastructure, including the development of high-profile projects such as the Dakota Access Pipeline. A self-made billionaire from modest Texas roots, Warren combines engineering discipline with bold acquisitive strategy, while remaining an active philanthropist in education, parks, and music—most notably founding the Texas music venue and nonprofit, Klyde Warren Park in Dallas.

Jerry Jones, billionaire businessman and owner of the Dallas Cowboys, transformed the franchise into the most valuable team in global sports through bold management, aggressive marketing, and a relentless focus on brand expansion. Since purchasing the Cowboys in 1989, Jones has overseen multiple Super Bowl victories, built state-of-the-art facilities like AT&T Stadium and The Star in Frisco, and reshaped NFL business economics through media deals and sponsorship innovation. A polarizing yet visionary figure, he has turned the Cowboys into a cultural and commercial powerhouse while becoming one of the most influential owners in professional sports.

Jay Adair, CEO of Copart, has transformed the Dallas-based company into a global powerhouse in online vehicle auctions and salvage remarketing. Starting at Copart as a teenager, he rose through the ranks and became CEO in 2010, driving the company’s shift from physical auctions to a fully digital, globally scalable platform. Under his leadership, Copart expanded into more than a dozen countries, partnered with major insurers, and grew into a multibillion-dollar enterprise trusted by buyers and sellers worldwide. Known for his technology-forward strategy and operational discipline, Adair has cemented Copart’s position as the dominant force in its industry.

Stephen Butt, member of the H-E-B founding family, plays a key leadership role in guiding the Texas-based grocery giant, one of the largest privately held retailers in the United States. With hundreds of stores across Texas and Mexico, H-E-B has become a multibillion-dollar enterprise known for its strong customer loyalty, operational excellence, and community focus. As part of the third generation of Butt family leadership, Stephen Butt has continued the legacy of innovation and philanthropy that defines the company’s enduring success.

Gerald J. Ford, Texas billionaire banker and investor, built his fortune by acquiring, restructuring, and selling struggling financial institutions. Starting in the 1970s, he earned a reputation as a savvy dealmaker, most notably with the turnaround and sale of First United Bankshares and Golden State Bancorp. Through his private equity firm Hilltop Holdings, Ford has remained an active force in banking, insurance, and real estate, combining sharp financial instincts with a long-term investment outlook. A noted philanthropist, he is also a major benefactor of Southern Methodist University.

Darwin Deason is an American billionaire entrepreneur and founder of Affiliated Computer Services (ACS). Under his leadership, ACS became a global outsourcing powerhouse before being sold to Xerox for $6.4 billion in 2010. After the sale, Deason emerged as Xerox’s largest individual shareholder (~12%). He is also a high-profile Republican political donor and owner of the mega-yacht Apogee and an opulent La Jolla estate called “The Sand Castle.” 

Carl Thoma is a veteran private-equity pioneer and co-founder/managing partner of Thoma Bravo, one of the world’s largest software-focused buyout firms managing more than $130 billion in assets. A Stanford MBA and Oklahoma State alumnus, he began his career in 1980 with the predecessor firm GTCR and helped invent the “buy and build” consolidation strategy that underpins his longtime success in PE.

Elaine Marshall is an American billionaire and board member of Koch Industries. She inherited her wealth through her late husband, E. Pierce Marshall, and has significant stakes in one of the largest privately held companies in the world. She is known for her low-profile yet influential role in the business world.