Tampa Bay Billionaires Make Forbes' List

While their net worth combined doesn’t add up to a drop in the bucket compared to the fortune amassed by Bill Gates, three of the world’s richest people do happen to call the Tampa Bay area home.

Tampa’s Edward DeBartolo, St. Petersburg’s Ronald Wanek and Lakeland’s Carol Jenkins Barnett all made Forbes magazine’s list of the richest people in the world. That list is topped by Gates with a net worth of $79.2 billion. Mexican telecom mogul Carlos Slim Helu comes in second with $77.1 billion and Warren Buffett holds the third spot with $72.7 billion.

Tampa Bay’s elite have a combined net worth of $7 billion, according to Forbes.

So, who are Tampa Bay’s billionaires?

DeBartolo – No. 497

Edward DeBartolo, Jr., has a net worth of $3.5 billion, Forbes reports. The 68-year-old earned his fortune developing shopping centers across the country through the Simon Property Group.

Wanek – No. 949

Ronald Wanek, 73, is described as “self-made” by Forbes. The St. Petersburg resident made his fortune courtesy of Ashley Furniture Industries, which is the country’s biggest furniture manufacturer, according to TBO. His net worth is listed at $2.2 billion.

Barnett – No. 1,324

With a net worth of $1.4 billion, Carol Jenkins Barnett is the poorest of Tampa Bay’s billionaires. The 58-year-old is the daughter of Publix Supermarkets founder George Jenkins. She currently serves as the company’s chairwoman.

To check out the full list, visit Forbes online.

Image via Shutterstock

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