BILLIONAIRE ROLL CALL

Local billionaires Jeffery Hildebrand and Tilman Fertitta top list of richest in Houston, per Forbes

Jeff and Mindy Hildebrand at the Camp for All event September 2014

Jeffery and Mindy Hildebrand are noted for their service to employees and community.

Photo by Anthony Rathbun

According to Forbes, half of all of the world’s billionaires are less wealthy than they were in 2022. But that’s not the case for most Houston-area billionaires like oil tycoon Jeffery Hildebrand, who was named the richest man in the city.

The 2023 edition of Forbes’ World’s Billionaires List declared Hildebrand’s net worth at $10.2 billion, placing him as the 171st richest person in the world. His fortune is $2.7 billion higher than his 2022 net worth of $7.5 billion, when he ranked No. 316 on the list.

As CultureMap reported, in 2015, Hildebrand made headlines when he gifted each of his 1,381 employees a $100,000 holiday bonus.

Houston’s favorite hospitality mogul and Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta is the city’s second-richest man, with his net worth climbing up to $8.1 billion. He ranked No. 256 on Forbes’ list, substantially higher than his No. 471 rank in 2022 when his net worth was $5.6 billion. Fertitta is surely living life to the fullest after hosting Miami rapper Pitbull at his San Luis Salute celebration earlier this year.

Tilman Fertitta Shut Up and Listen book laughing Tilman Fertitta is sitting pretty at No. 2. Photo by J. Thomas Ford

Other Houston-area billionaires that made Forbes 2023 world’s richest list are:

Pipeline magnate Richard Kinder: tied for No. 317, $7.2 billion, down from $7.5 billion
Houston siblings and pipeline heirs Dannine Avara, Scott Duncan, Milane Frantz, and Randa Duncan Williams: all tied for No. 352, $6.8 billion, up from $6.6 billion
Toyota mega-dealer Dan Friedkin: tied for No. 466, $5.5 billion, up from $4.3 billion
Houston Texans owner Janice McNair: tied for No. 534, $5 billion, up from $4.2 billion
Hedge fund honcho John Arnold: tied for No. 878, $3.3 billion, unchanged since 2018
Energy exploration chief exec George Bishop: tied for No. 982, $3 billion, up from $2.7 billion

New to the 2023 report is Kamal Ghaffarian, the co-founder and executive chairman of Houston's Axiom Space, with a net worth of $2.1 billion. Though his LinkedIn notes that he is based in Maryland, reports add that he resides in Florida. His Forbes rank is No. 1434.

An honorable mention (and billionaire newbie) is Amy Adams Strunk, the controlling owner of the Tennessee Titans and daughter of Houston Oilers owner Bud Adams. She has a residence in Waller (about 40 miles northwest of Houston) and her net worth is $1.7 billion — making her No. 1725 on the list.

One name missing from Forbes 2023 report is software entrepreneur Robert Brockman, who passed away last August. Brockman fell from grace after he was charged in the largest tax fraud case in U.S. history in 2020. Forbes listed his 2022 net worth at $4.7 billion. He is survived by his wife, son, and two grandchildren.

Elsewhere in Texas, Elon Musk reigns as the richest man in the state and in its capital city of Austin with a net worth of $180 billion. The Tesla and Space-X founder is the second richest person in the world, wedging his way between No. 1 Bernard Arnault of France (overseer of the LVMH empire of 75 fashion and cosmetics brands, including Louis Vuitton and Sephora), with a net worth of $211 billion; and No. 3 Jeff Bezos, the American Amazon founder, worth $114 billion.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones' $13.3 billion net worth won him the title of Dallas' richest person, and the 12th richest sports owner on Forbes' "World's Richest Sports Owners 2023." His net worth is up from $10.6 billion last year.

The Fort Worth-based Walmart family heiress Alice Walton earned a spot on Forbes’ list as the third richest woman in the world. Her fortune is pegged at $56.7 billion, down slightly from $65.3 billion last year.

Billionaires Forbes Houston

beat the heat

7 family-friendly activities to do in Houston before school starts

Courtesy of Recess

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Next week Houston students will start returning to school. While the quiet in the house might be nice, this is also the last chance to have some summer fun with the kids. Here are seven family-friendly outings you can hit before that first classroom bell rings.

Recess Restaurant and Playground
The old restaurant/playground combination has declined in recent years, and anyone who has seen kids return with red hands from sun-heated outdoor play equipment at Joe's Crab Shack can attest the Houston summer was rarely conducive to fun anyway. Located on the edge of Montrose and River oaks, Recess is a deliberate attempt to bring back that meeting of playtime and lunchtime.

The business offers two different climate-controlled employee-supervised playgrounds, one for kids 1-3 and another for 4-11. Parents can check their children in before enjoying their meal. It's not a free service, with hourly rates starting at $18.50 for the first child on top of the cost of the meals, but it's worth it to have a quiet meal while knowing the kids are happy.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
The end of summer break in Houston happily coincides with the return of the circus! Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey has been the premiere name in traditional circus entertainment for more than a century, offering jugglers, clowns, acrobats, and musical performances. This year, the circus is teamed with rising viral music star Maddox Batson ("Girl In Green," "No More") to have exclusive remixes at the show accompanying unicycle stunts and other circus acts. The show runs August 6-9 at NRG Stadium, with tickets starting at $36.

Typhoon Texas Summer Hours
This week is the end for summer hours at Houston's Typhoon Texas waterpark. After school starts, watersliding and lazy river floating will be a weekend-only event. Weather remains hot and clear for the foreseeable future, so it's the perfect time to take in the swells at Tidal Wave Bay or race each other down The Duelin' Daltons. Don't forget the sunscreen and pool shoes. Tickets range from $39.99-$59.99.

Houston Toy Museum's Final Days
It was a sad day when the Houston Toy Museum announced last month that it would be closing the doors of its Heights location. The whimsical collection of plastic and porcelain childhood joy has been a beloved addition to the city's list of museums for four years. The final day of operation is August 30, making it a great day activity for families looking for something to do before school starts. See this one-of-a-kind collection before it goes into storage and an uncertain future.

Retro Video Game Expo III
Kids today with their autosaves and aim assists don't know how good they have it when it comes to video games! Show those whippersnappers how things were in the golden olden days of Neo Geo 2D fighters and horror movie pinball table tie-ins. The Retro Video Game Expo III is a free event full of vintage console and games, but the real appeal for kids is the free-to-play arcade of 1980s classics that will be on hand. The show actually runs the weekend after school starts (August 15-16 at CSS Houston on Bissonnet), but it'll be a nice reward for a first week back on the grind.

Cat Video Fest at River Oaks Theatre
Few things can bring humans together like cats being ridiculous on video. River Oaks Theatre is hosting the Cat Video Fest this Friday and Saturday. Founded in memory of a beloved cat who lived on the University of Houston campus, the 70-minute show offers sweet and hilarious videos of our feline friends. A portion of ticket sales go to local cat rescues. Be sure to check out the kids menu because nothing compliments feline foolishness like a nice plate of chicken tenders.

Newman's Castle
Parents who want to take their kids to something they've likely never seen should head about an hour northwest of Houston to Newman's Castle in Bellville, Texas. It's a real medieval-style castle hand-built as a private home by Mike Newman (owner of Newman's Bakery in Bellville) starting in 1997. He was still working on it when he died in 2024. Located on a small, manmade lake, his family now offers tours of the bizarre and delightful home. Climb the towers, see the working drawbridge, and even have a cold lunch in the grand hall (included with the $10-$12 ticket price). Reservations are mandatory, and tours only start at 11 am.

family friendly family fun