Bob CollinsForbes Magazine today released its annual list of the world’s billionaires, a chance for us to ask, “how are Minnesota’s billionaires doing?”
Pretty well, thank you, with the exception of the fact they’re all 70 or more years old.
Minnesota has five of them.
Barbara Carlson Gage – Ranks #316 in the world and is worth $4.1 billion. She owns the Carlson Companies as does her sister, who is…
Marilyn Carlson Nelson – Who also ranks #316 in the world is and is also worth $4.1 billion. The Carlson Companies made their fortune in hotels, the travel business and, inexplicable, TGI Fridays.
But the Carlson’s have had a staggering rise up the list. In 2011, Barbara Carlson Gage was listed at #782, worth “only” $1.9 billion.
Whitney MacMillan – At #395, he’s good for $3.4 billion. He owns the Cargill fortune. It’s a private company and because it is, few know everything it’s into. But six billionaire brothers own it,
Stanley Hubbard – The KSTP and Hubbard Broadcasting exec checks in at #704. The 79-year-old Hubbard is worth $2.1 billion. He’s dropped in the rankings from #659 in 2011. But he’s picked up another $200 million in worth since then.
Glen Taylor — #882. If you don’t think there’s money in wedding invitations, you don’t know wedding invitations. That’s the underpinning of the Taylor Companies, which now include vast holdings including the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are terrible no matter how much money Taylor soaks into the endeavor. And he’s got $1.7 billion to put into the endeavor. But he’s trying to sell the team, which should allow him to move up a few places on the list.
In the heyday of the economy, Taylor was #365 on the list. In 2006, he was worth $2.1 billion. On this year’s list, the person at #365 is worth $3.7 billion. And in 2008, he was good for $3.3 billion, according to Forbes.
For the record, Zygi Wilf is not on the overall list.
