Greek-Americans on Forbes U.S. Rich List

Six Greek Americans made it in this year’s Forbes 400 list of richest Americans, with this year’s minimum net worth being 2 billion dollars, instead of 1.7 billion that it was a year ago.

#122 Jim Davis & family

REAL TIME NET WORTH — as of 10/17/17: 4.8 billion dollars
2017 FORBES 400 NET WORTH — as of 10/17/17: 4.9 billion dollars

Jim Davis made his fortune after buying a small Boston shoemaker in 1972 and turning it into New Balance, which made sales worth 3.8 billion dollars in 2016 sales.
Davis and his family own an estimated 95% of the company, which is private.
New Balance is globally famous for running shoes but also makes equipment for lacrosse and soccer.

#248 John Catsimatidis

REAL TIME NET WORTH — as of 10/17/17: 3.1 billion dollars
2017 FORBES 400 NET WORTH — as of 10/17/17: 3.1 billion dollars

John Catsimatidis is best known as the owner of New York City supermarket chain Gristedes. He opened his first grocery store in 1969 and had 10 Apple Red stores by the agae of 25.
He also owns an oil refinery; United Refining in Pennsylvania,  and real estate in New York and other areas.

#248 John Paul DeJoria

REAL TIME NET WORTH — as of 10/17/17: 3.2 billion dollars
2017 FORBES 400 NET WORTH — as of 10/17/17: 3.1 billion dollars

John Paul DeJoria is the founder of tequila maker Patrón Spirits Co. and cofounder of hair care company John Paul Mitchell Systems.
He sold shampoo door-to-door before he teamed up with Paul Mitchell in 1980 and turned $700 into John Paul Mitchell Systems.

#340 George Argyros & family

REAL TIME NET WORTH — as of 10/17/17: 2.4 billion dollars
2017 FORBES 400 NET WORTH — as of 10/17/17: 2.4 billion dollars

The grandson of Greek immigrants, Argyros worked his way through high school and college in southern California as a paperboy and grocery clerk.
Argyros founded property firm Arnel & Affiliates in southern California in 1968 and still runs it. He also served as United States Ambassador to Spain

#340 C. Dean Metropoulos

REAL TIME NET WORTH — as of 10/17/17: 2.3 billion dollars
2017 FORBES 400 NET WORTH — as of 10/17/17:

Metropoulos literally saved the iconic Twinkies and Hostess Brands; he bought the shuttered firm in 2013 and put it in the stock market.
Through his Metropoulos & Co, he’s also turned around and sold Chef Boyardee, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Bumble Bee Tuna and others.

#340 Alexander Spanos & family

REAL TIME NET WORTH — as of 10/17/17: 2.4 billion dollars
2017 FORBES 400 NET WORTH — as of 10/17/17: 2.4 billion dollars

Alexander Spanos is an American billionaire real estate developer and founder of the A. G. Spanos Companies, and the majority owner of the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL) He founded AG Spanos, one of the country’s largest apartment developers, in 1960. His sons, Dean and Michael, took charge in 2005.

Spanos bought a controlling stake in the Chargers in 1984, a team now worth $1.9 billion net of debt, run by his grandchildren John and A.G..

Bill Gates is number one for the 24th consecutive year, now worth 89 billion dollars, up 8 billion from 2016.  Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, whose fortune rose 14.5 billion dollars in a year, retains the number two spot for the second consecutive year with a net worth of 81.5 billion dollars, while Warren Buffett came third, as the year before, now worth 80.7 billion dollars.