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.