Forbes magazine says it's harder than ever to make the list of the 400 Richest Americans. The cut-off point for this year's list, released Tuesday, is $1.7 billion, the highest it’s been in the 33 years that the magazine has tracked American wealth.
Even so, 36 Texans made the list, including 12 in Houston. But most of the Texans dropped down on the list, largely due to the fall in energy stocks and the rise of high-tech entrepreneurs whose higher net worth pushed others lower down in the rankings.
Leading the list of Houstonians once again is Rich Kinder at No. 52, with an estimated net worth of $8.9 billion. But Kinder's wealth declined nearly $2 billion from last year, when he was ranked No. 41, with a net worth of $10.7 billion.
The heirs of pipeline magnate Dan Duncan — Dannine Avara, Scott Duncan, Milane Frank and Randa Williams — also lost $2 billion each, dropping to No. 94 on the list, with a net worth of $5 billion each. Last year, they were No. 68 on the list, with a net worth of $7 billion each.
And attorney Joe Jamail, who was No. 368 on last year's list with a net worth of $1.7 billion, dropped off the list this year.
But Houston Texans owner Bob McNair jump way up on the list, to No. 194, with a net worth of $3.3 billion, up from $2.4 billion last year when he was ranked No. 261.
Other Houstonians on the list are:
No. 73 Jeffrey Hildebrand, oil — $6.3 billion (down from $6.5 billion)
No. 164 Dan Friedkin, owner/CEO Gulf States Toyota — $3.6 billion (up from $3.3 billion)
No. 227 John Arnold, founder Centaurus Advisors — $2.9 billion (same as last year)
No. 279 George Bishop, oil — $2.4 billion (down from $3 billion)
No. 293 Tilman Fertitta, chairman/CEO Fertitta Entertainment — $2.3 billion (down from $2.4 billion)
No. 372 Fayez Sarofim, investor — $1.85 billion (down from $2.1 billion)
Dallas billionaires
In Dallas, 12 billionaires made the list, led by college-dropout-turned-investor Andrew Beal, at No. 42. Although Beal has a net worth of $10.9 billion, he lost more than $1.2 billion from last year, when he was No. 38 with a net worth of $12.1 billion. Others on the list are:
No. 76 Robert Rowling, investor — $6.1 billion
No. 83 Ray Lee Hunt, oil/real estate — $5.6 billion
No. 86 Kelcy Warren, pipelines — $5.5 billion
No 90 Trevor Reese-Jones, oil & gas — $5.3 billion
No. 94 Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys owner — $5 billion
No. 138 H. Ross Perot, computer services/real estate — $4 billion
No. 211 Mark Cuban, Dallas Mavericks owner — $3 billion
No. 211 Ray Davis, pipelines — $3 billion
No. 211 Richard Rainwater, investments— $3 billion (Rainwater passed away just before the list was released)
No 293 W. Herbert Hunt, oil — $2.3 billion
No. 327 Gerald Ford, banking — $2.1 billion
Fort Worth billionaires
Fort Worth resident Alice Walton led all Texans on the list at No. 12 with an estimated net worth of $32 billion. But she, too, dropped several places from last year's list when she was at No. 9 with an estimated net worth of $34.9 million.
Others from Fort Worth on the list are Robert Bass (No. 211, net worth $3 billion, oil/investments), David Bonderman (No 256, $2.6 billion, private equity), Edward Bass, Lee Bass and Sid Bass (tied at No. 342, $2 billion each, private investments) and Timothy Headington (No. 358, $1.9 billion; oil & gas, investments).
Austin billionaires
Austin computer magnate Michael Dell was one of the few Texans to rise on the list, to No. 23. His net worth is estimated at $19.1 billion, up from $17.7 billion (and No. 25 ranking) a year ago. Other Austinites are the list are John Paul DeJorgia (No. 234, $2.8 billion, hair care products/tequila) and Robert Smith (No. 268, $2.5 billion, private equity). Smith is one of the few African-Americans on the entire list.
The rest of the state
San Antonio supermarket owner Charles Butt is ranked No. 44, with net worth of $10.7 billion, and former Houston Astros owner Drayton McLane Jr., who lives in Temple, rounds out the Texans on the list at No. 375, with a net worth of $1.8 billion.
Rich Kinder, show with wife Nancy, remains Houston's richest man on the Forbes list, although his net worth dropped by $2 billion.
The Hotel Saint Augustine has checked into Montrose.
Photo by Julie Soefer