1. William Gates IIISoftware visionary stepped down from day-to-day duties at Microsoft in June to devote his talents and riches to philanthropy. The $36 billion Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation donates to causes such as fighting hunger in developing countries, improving education in America’s high schools and developing vaccines against malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS. Appointed Office veteran Jeffrey Raikes chief exec of Gates Foundation in September. Gates remains Microsoft chairman. Appearing in TV commercials with comedian Jerry Seinfeld as part of campaign to improve Windows brand; Vista operating system continues to get mixed reviews. Sells shares each quarter, redeploys proceeds via investment vehicle Cascade; more than half of fortune is outside Microsoft. Stock down 5% in past 12 months after failed buyout attempt of Yahoo erased 25% pop last fall. Masterful capitalist wants to change the rules. Talked up “creative capitalism” at Davos: “I am an impatient optimist. The world is getting better, but it’s not getting better fast enough, and it’s not getting better for everyone.” Wants companies to match profitmaking with doing good. Inflation-adjusted net worth would top $90 billion if he hadn’t given away any cash.
Net Worth $57.0 billion
Source Microsoft (quote: MSFT), Software, Self made
Age 52
Marital Status Married, 3 children
Hometown Medina, WA, United States
Education Harvard University, Drop Out

2. Warren BuffettIconic investor crowned the world’s richest man in march as Berkshire Hathaway shares ran up 25% between July 2007 and February 2008. Berkshire stock has fallen 15% since, erasing $12 billion from Oracle of Omaha’s fortune in 6 months and forcing him to cede the title back to friend and bridge partner Bill Gates. Son of Nebraska politician delivered newspapers as a boy. Filed first tax return at age 13, claiming $35 deduction for bicycle. Studied under value investing guru Benjamin Graham at Columbia. Took over textile firm Berkshire Hathaway 1965. Today holding company invested in insurance (Geico, General Re), jewelry (Borsheim’s), utilities (MidAmerican Energy), food (Dairy Queen, See’s Candies). Also has noncontrolling stakes in Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola, Wells Fargo. Berkshire Hathaway sales in 2007: $118 billion. Issued a challenge to members of The Forbes 400 last October; said he would donate $1 million to charity if the collective group would admit they pay less taxes, as a percentage of income, than their secretaries. Irrevocably earmarked the majority of his Berkshire shares for charity in 2006, mostly to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Has given $6 billion worth of shares so far.
Net Worth $50.0 billion
Source Berkshire Hathaway (A) (quote: BRK.A), Investments, Self made
Age 78
Marital Status Widowed, Remarried, 3 children
Hometown Omaha, NE, United States
Education University of Nebraska Lincoln, Bachelor of Arts / Science
Columbia University, Master of Science

3. Lawrence EllisonDatabase titan continues to buy up would-be competition; more than 40 acquisitions in the past 4 years. Bought BEA Systems for $8.5 billion in January. Revenues up 25% to $22.4 billion this year; profits up 29% to $5.5 billion. Stock down 12% in past 12 months. Invested $125 million in Web software outfit Netsuite; took public in December, stock promptly dropped 30%. His shares still worth $500 million. Chicago native studied physics at U. of Chicago, didn’t graduate. Started Oracle in 1977. Public 1986, a day before Microsoft. Owns 453-foot Rising Sun; built a smaller leisure boat because superyacht is hard to park. Squabbling in court with Swiss boating billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli over terms of next America’s Cup. Recently unveiled hulking 90-foot trimaran he intends to use to win it.
Net Worth $27.0 billion
Source Oracle Corporation (quote: ORCL), Software, Self made
Age 64
Marital Status Married, 2 children, 3 divorces
Hometown Redwood City, CA, United States
Education University of Illinois, Drop Out

4. Jim WaltonSon of Wal-Mart pioneer Sam Walton (d. 1992) and siblings, sister-in-law reclaim spot in Forbes 400 Top 10 after falling off last year. Wal-Mart shares up 45% since last September, as cash-strapped consumers head to discount-driven superstores in droves. Also profiting from stake in solar-paneling outfit First Solar; shares up 120% in past 12 months. Sam started as J.C. Penney clerk in 1940; opened Newport, Ark. five-and-dime store Benjamin Franklin 5 years later. Lost lease in 1950. With brother James started general-store chain in Bentonville, Ark., 1962. Today Wal-Mart is world’s largest retailer: 7,300 stores, 2 million employees serve 200 million customers. Sales: $378 billion. Jim chairs Arvest Bank Group, Community Publishers.
Net Worth $23.4 billion
Source Wal-Mart Stores (quote: WMT), Retailing, Inherited
Age 60
Marital Status Married, 4 children
Hometown Bentonville, AR, United States
Education University of Arkansas, Bachelor of Arts / Science


5. S Robson WaltonSon of Wal-Mart pioneer Sam Walton (d. 1992) and siblings, sister-in-law reclaim spot in Forbes 400 Top 10 after falling off last year. Wal-Mart shares up 45% since last September, as cash-strapped consumers head to discount-driven superstores in droves. Also profiting from stake in solar-paneling outfit First Solar; shares up 120% in past 12 months. Sam started as J.C. Penney clerk in 1940; opened Newport, Ark. five-and-dime store Benjamin Franklin 5 years later. Lost lease in 1950. With brother James started general-store chain in Bentonville, Ark., 1962. Today Wal-Mart is world’s largest retailer: 7,300 stores, 2 million employees serve 200 million customers. Sales: $378 billion. Rob is Wal-Mart chairman; helping company become eco-friendly through partnership with environmental group Conservation International.
Net Worth $23.3 billion
Source Wal-Mart Stores (quote: WMT), Retailing, Inherited
Age 64
Marital Status Married, 3 children, 1 divorce
Hometown Bentonville, AR, United States
Education University of Arkansas, Bachelor of Arts / Science
Columbia University, Doctor of Jurisprudence


6. Alice WaltonDaughter of Wal-Mart pioneer Sam Walton (d. 1992) and siblings, sister-in-law reclaim spot in Forbes 400 Top 10 after falling off last year. Wal-Mart shares up 45% since last September, as cash-strapped consumers head to discount-driven superstores in droves. Also profiting from stake in solar-paneling outfit First Solar; shares up 120% in past 12 months. Sam started as J.C. Penney clerk in 1940; opened Newport, Ark. five-and-dime store Benjamin Franklin 5 years later. Lost lease in 1950. With brother James started general-store chain in Bentonville, Ark., 1962. Today Wal-Mart is world’s largest retailer: 7,300 stores, 2 million employees serve 200 million customers. Sales: $378 billion. Alice is building Crystal Bridges art museum in Bentonville.
Net Worth $23.2 billion
Source Wal-Mart Stores (quote: WMT), Retailing, Inherited
Age 59
Marital Status Divorced, 2 divorces
Hometown Fort Worth, TX, United States
Education Trinity University of San Antonio, Bachelor of Arts / Science

7. Christy Walton & FamilyDaughter-in-law of Wal-Mart pioneer Sam Walton (d. 1992) and siblings reclaim spot in Forbes 400 Top 10 after falling off last year. Wal-Mart shares up 45% since last September, as cash-strapped consumers head to discount-driven superstores in droves. Also profiting from stake in solar-paneling outfit First Solar; shares up 120% in past 12 months. Sam started as J.C. Penney clerk in 1940; opened Newport, Ark. five-and-dime store Benjamin Franklin 5 years later. Lost lease in 1950. With brother James started general-store chain in Bentonville, Ark., 1962. Today Wal-Mart is world’s largest retailer: 7,300 stores, 2 million employees serve 200 million customers. Sales: $378 billion. Christy is the widow of John Walton (d. 2005); donated 7-acre San Diego home to Cross Border Philanthropy
Net Worth $23.2 billion
Source Wal-Mart Stores (quote: WMT), Retailing, Inherited
Age 53
Marital Status Widowed, 1 child
Hometown Jackson, WY, United States
Education


8. Michael BloombergMayor Mike has become America’s 8th-richest citizen after a transaction put a solid valuation on Bloomberg LP: he borrowed to buy a 20% stake in his company from Merrill Lynch in July for $4.5 billion. Today he owns 88% of the financial data and news outfit he founded in 1982. Boston-born son of accountant got engineering degree from Johns Hopkins, M.B.A. from Harvard. Became a trader at Salomon Brothers 1970s, quit with $10 million in stock after merger. Created financial information services firm Innovative Market Systems to sell financial data, analytic tools to Wall Street. Renamed Bloomberg LP 1987; added news service, magazine, cable network, radio station. Spent $74 million to become mayor of New York City in 2001 and $85 million on reelection in 2005. Enjoying 71% approval rating, appears to be looking for ways to do away with term limits as November 2009 election looms. Since last June former Republican no longer affiliated with any political party. Has given away nearly $800 million to charity in the past 5 years; with Bill Gates, planning to invest hundreds of millions to combat smoking worldwide.
Net Worth $20.0 billion
Source Media/Entertainment, Self made
Age 66
Marital Status Divorced, 2 children, 1 divorce
Hometown New York, NY, United States
Education Johns Hopkins University, Bachelor of Arts / Science
Harvard University, Master of Business Administration

9.Charles KochWith brother David, transformed family refining business into America’s largest private company. Father, Fred C. Koch (d. 1967), invented method of turning heavy oil into gasoline. Sons Charles, David, Frederick and William inherited Koch Industries after father’s death. Charles and David bought out William and Frederick for $1.1 billion in 1983; fraternal fight over deal settled in 2001. Today Koch Industries has stakes in pipelines, refineries, fertilizer, fibers and polymers, forest and consumer products, chemical technology. Brothers each own 42%; collective fortune up $4 billion as oil and fertilizer prices soar. Sales last year: $98 billion. Employs 80,000 workers in 60 countries. Purchased Invista, maker of Lycra and Coolmax fabric, in 2004 for $4.2 billion. Dropped $21 billion on paper and building-supply vendor Georgia-Pacific the following year. Charles studied nuclear and chemical engineering at MIT, chief executive since 1967; cofounder of conservative think tank Cato Institute.
Net Worth $19.0 billion
Source Oil/Gas, Self made
Age 72
Marital Status Married, 2 children
Hometown Wichita, KS, United States
Education Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Bachelor of Arts / Science
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Master of Science


10.David KochWith brother Charles, transformed family refining business into America’s largest private company. Father, Fred C. Koch (d. 1967), invented method of turning heavy oil into gasoline. Sons Charles, David, Frederick and William inherited Koch Industries after father’s death. Charles and David bought out William and Frederick for $1.1 billion in 1983; fraternal fight over deal settled in 2001. Today Koch Industries has stakes in pipelines, refineries, fertilizer, fibers and polymers, forest and consumer products, chemical technology. Brothers each own 42%; collective fortune up $4 billion as oil and fertilizer prices soar. David is executive vice president. Sales last year: $98 billion. Employs 80,000 workers in 60 countries. Purchased Invista, maker of Lycra and Coolmax fabric, in 2004 for $4.2 billion. Dropped $21 billion on paper and building-supply vendor Georgia-Pacific the following year. Holds chemical engineering degrees from MIT; pledged $100 million to alma mater for cancer research last year. Pledged another $100 million to New York’s Lincoln Center this July.
Net Worth $19.0 billion
Source Manufacturing, Self made
Age 68
Marital Status Married, 3 children
Hometown New York, NY, United States
Education Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Bachelor of Arts / Science
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Master of Science