Forbes magazine released its annual list of the country's 400 wealthiest people this week, and as usual there are plenty of Sunshine Staters representing.
Thirty-one men and one woman made the list, ranging in age, industry and upbringing. Some inherited their fortunes from old family businesses, like Dirk Ziff, who went on to form his own company with his two brothers, or Bill Wrigley, Jr. of the chewing gum empire.
Others were self starters: Albert Ueltschi learned how to fly at 16, became a pilot, and created his own aviation company. All of them, however, benefit from Florida's lack of income tax.
By the way, should you come into possession of billions of dollars, the in thing to do is buy a sports team. Case in point: Micky Arison, the richest Floridian thanks to Carnival Cruise Lines, owns the World Champions Miami Heat, and at least four other current and former team owners pepper the list.
See who leads the way to the bank in Florida, according to Forbes:
392. Peter Lewis
Worth: $1.1 billion City: Miami Business: Chairman of Progressive Insurance Fact: Lewis is perhaps the campaign to legalize marijuana's biggest advocate, <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconnor/2012/04/20/high-roller-how-billionaire-peter-lewis-is-bankrolling-marijuana-legalization/" target="_hplink">donating $60,000,000 to the cause</a>.
360. Charlotte Colket Weber
Worth: $1.2 billion City: Hobe Sound Business: Sits on the board of her family's business, Campbell's Soup Fact: The only Florida woman who made the list!
360. Jorge Perez
Worth: $1.2 billion City: Miami Business: Cofounder of Related Group Fact: Perez <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/20/jorge-perez-controversy-museum-racism_n_1160563.html" target="_hplink">pledged $20 million in cash, plus art, in exchange for naming rights to the new Miami Art Museum</a> -- generating what some claimed to be racist opposition. Others said the future "Jorge M. Perez Museum of Miami-Dade County" disregards the public's contributions and misrepresents the public mission.
360. Christopher Cline
Worth: $1.2 billion City: North Palm Beach Business: Founder of Foresight Energy
360. Edmund Ansin
Worth: $1.2 billion City: Miami Beach Business: Owns Sunbeam Corporation, home of Channel 7 news
360. James Clark
Worth: $1.2 billion City: Palm Beach Business: Cofounder of Netscape
328. Alfred James Clark
Worth: $1.4 billion City: Vero Beach Business: Chairman and CEO of Clark Enterprises
311. Richard Schulze
Worth: $1.5 billion City: Bonita Springs Business: Founder of Best Buy
311. John Henry
Worth: $1.5 billion City: Boca Raton Business: Owns the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool Football Club.
298. Norman Braman
Worth: $1.6 billion City: Miami Business: Owns 17 car dealerships Fact: Braman led the overwhelming <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/landslide-recall-miami-dade-mayor-carlos-alvarez/story?id=13148353#.UFt4m6RST64" target="_hplink">recall of former Miami Mayor Carlos Alvarez</a> in 2011.
298. Tom Golisano
Worth: $1.6 billion City: Naples Business: Founder of Paychex Fact: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/02/sports/hockey/02sale.html" target="_hplink">Sold the Buffalo Sabres</a> to Terry Pegula, #132 on the Forbes list.
271. S. Daniel Abraham
Worth: $1.8 billion City: Palm Beach Business: He sold his company, Slim-Fast, in 2000. Fact: He is the chairman of the <a href="http://www.centerpeace.org" target="_hplink">S. Daniel Abraham Center For Middle East Peace</a>.
239. Bharat Desai and family
Worth: $2 billion City: Fisher Island Business: Co-founder of Syntel with his wife, Neerja Sethi Fact: Desai played for India at the <a href="http://www.forbes.com/profile/bharat-desai/" target="_hplink">1994 bridge world championship</a>.
229. Albert Ueltschi
Worth: $2.1 billion City: Vero Beach Business: Founder of FlightSafety Fact: <a href="http://www.flightsafety.com/fs_biography.php?bio=ueltschi" target="_hplink">Ueltschi flew solo for the first time when he was 16</a>, then joined Pan American Airways.
218. William Wrigley Jr.
Worth: $2.2 billion City: North Palm Beach Business: Retired after supervising the sale of his family's company, Wrigley chewing gym, to Mars in 2008
218. George Lindemann and family
Worth: $2.2 billion City: Palm Beach Business: <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304319804576389273776283938.html" target="_hplink">Sold his natural gas company, Southern Union, in March</a> Fact: A Salvador Dali <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/21/150k-dali-painting-stolen_n_1616687.html" target="_hplink">painting worth $150,000 was stolen from his son's New York City art gallery</a> earlier this year.
218. Jeff Greene
Jeff Greene Worth: $2.2 billion City: Palm Beach Business: real estate and investments Fact: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/24/florida-election-results-_1_n_692977.html" target="_hplink">Lost to Kendrick Meek </a>in the Democratic primary for Florida state senator in 2010.
206. Wilbur Ross Jr.
Worth: $2.3 billion City: Palm Beach Business: Chairman and CEO of WL Ross & Co. LLC Fact:<a href="http://www.japansociety.org/page/about/board_of_directors" target="_hplink"> Chairman of the Japan Society</a>
206. Isaac Perlmutter
Worth: $2.3 billion City: Palm Beach Business: CEO of Marvel Entertainment
190. Robert Rich Jr.
Worth $2.4 billion City: Islamorada Business: Owns Rich's Food Corporation
190. Igor Olenicoff
Worth: $2.4 billion City: Lighthouse Point Business: Owns Olen Properties
190. H. Wayne Huizenga
Worth: $2.4 billion City: Fort Lauderdale Business: Founder of Waste Management Inc., Blockbuster and AutoNation, minority owner of Miami Dolphins Fact: <a href="http://www.academyofachievement.org/honorees/h_wayne_huizenga.htm" target="_hplink">Owned three sports team franchises in three different leagues </a>at one point (Miami Dolphins, Miami Marlins, Florida Panthers).
190: Phillip Frost
Worth: $2.4 billion City: Miami Beach Business: Chairman of Teva Pharmaceuticals Facts: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/24/miami-science-museum-breaks-ground_n_1298730.html" target="_hplink">Frost and his wife donated money to the new science museum in Miami</a>, which will be named in their honor. Gov. Mitt Romney came under fire when <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/09/mitt-romneys-miami-beach-fundraiser-plan-b_n_1503820.html" target="_hplink">Frost hosted a fundraiser for the Republican presidential candidate</a>, as Frost's pharmaceutical company produced Plan B -- the "morning after pill."
179. Shahid Khan
Worth: $2.5 billion City: Naples Business: CEO of the Flex-N-Gate Group, owns the Jacksonville Jaguars
179. Fred DeLuca
Worth: $2.5 billion City: Fort Lauderdale Business: Cofounder of Subway restaurants
151. Edward DeBartolo, Jr.
Worth: $2.7 billion City: Tampa Business: Shopping center real estate, owns the San Francisco 49ers
132. Terrence Pegula
Worth: $3 billion City: Boca Raton Business: Owns Buffalo Sabres Fact: His hometown of Buffalo, NY is <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2011/09/14/sabres-owner-pegula-and-several-players-hand-deliver-new-season-tickets-to-fans_n_963044.html" target="_hplink">nicknamed "Pegulaville"</a>
125. Edward Lampert
Worth: $3.2 billion City: Miami Beach Business: Chairman of Kmart and hedge fund manager Fact: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/06/eddie-lampert-home_n_1324122.html" target="_hplink">Owns a $40 million private island home</a>
108. Malcolm Glazer and family
Worth: $3.6 billion City: Palm Beach Business: CEO of First Allied Corp., owns part of Manchester United and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Fact: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/05/24/malcolm-glazer-death-hoax_n_1541861.html" target="_hplink">Was a victim of a death hoax in May, sending Twitter into a frenzy</a>.
92. William Koch
Worth: $4 billion City: Palm Beach Business: Oil Fact: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/21/william-koch-billionaire-_n_1819744.html" target="_hplink">Bought a Colorado ghost town </a>and had it moved 10 miles away to his ranch.
85. Dirk Ziff
Worth: $4.3 billion City: North Palm Beach Business: Cofounder of Ziff Family Investments, inherited family money
68: Micky Arison
Worth: $5 billion City: Bal Harbour Business: CEO of Carnival Cruises, also owns the Miami Heat
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The Huffington Post | By Christiana Lilly Posted: 09/20/2012 5:44 pm Updated: 09/21/2012 9:17 am