Warren BuffettImage from WikiCommons images
Recently Forbes released their annual billionaire's list. In all, 2,755 people on Earth can call themselves billionaires. And of these, three live in Omaha. It is not hard to guess who one of these Omaha billionaires is but do you know the other two?
Let us take a quick look at the three billionaires lucky enough to call Omaha home.
The Oracle of Omaha
No rich list is ever complete without the man known as the "oracle of Omaha." Warren Buffett is worth $96 billion, which makes him the 6th richest person on this planet. He runs Berkshire Hathaway, which owns over 60 companies, including insurer Geico, battery maker Duracell, and Dairy Queen restaurant chain.
He started his journey as an entrepreneur at a young age, purchasing his first stock when he was only eleven years old. By the time he was thirteen, he was already filing taxes. Despite his wealth, unlike many billionaires, he isn't flamboyant and doesn't spend his money on expensive cars and houses. He is a big believer in philanthropy and backs up his words with action- he has already donated in excess of $41 billion to charities. He urges other billionaires to do likewise. In 2010 together with Bill Gates, he launched Giving Pledge, asking billionaires to pledge at least half of their wealth to charitable causes. Buffett himself aims to donate 99% of his wealth.
Buffett is born and bred in Omaha and lived almost his whole life in the city.
"Rational people don't risk what they have and need for what they don't have and don't need." Warren Buffett
Buffett's Buddy
Wouldnt it be great to be friends with Warren Buffett? Walter Scott Jr is lucky enough to be lifelong friends with Buffett and owes much of his $5 billion fortune to this connection.
He started his career at the construction company Peter Kiewit in Omaha and became the company's CEO in 1979, a position he held until he left the company in 1998.
In 2000 he joined with Buffett to purchase MidAmerican Energy which they renamed Berkshire Hathaway. Scott owns 9% of this company.
Like his good friend Scott is also a philanthropist. He founded the non-profit public Suzanne and Walter Scott Foundation, which has funded the Scott Atrium & Education Center at the University of Nebraska Medical Centre and the Scott Technology Center in Omaha. He also joined Buffett in the Giving Pledge, stating that his entire fortune will be bequeathed to his foundation upon his death.
Where's the beef?
Omaha's third billionaire has no connection to Warren Buffett. With a net worth of $1.1 billion, Henry Davis is number 2524 on the billionaire's list.
He owns the company started by his grandfather in 1920- Greater Omaha Packing. With over $1.7 billion in annual revenue, Greater Omaha Packing is the fifth largest beef producer in the United States. His beef is eaten in 69 countries around the world.
Davis is highly involved in the Omaha community. Currently, he serves on the boards of Bellevue University, the American Meat Institute, Partnership for Our Kids, the University of Nebraska Medical Center, the Board of Counselors, and the Foundation Board of the Jewish Federation of Omaha.
The city in the world with the most billionaires is Beijing, China. The city with the most billionaires in the United States is New York City.
So let's hope Omaha can add to its list of three billionaires in 2022!
Readers, have you met or worked for any of the Omaha billionaires? What was the experience like? As always, please share your comments in the section below.
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