Cargill heirs again lay claim to the title of wealthiest Minnesotans. Forbes magazine Wednesday released its annual list of the 400 wealthiest people in the United States. Brothers Cargill MacMillan, who Forbes now lists as living in Indian Springs, Calif., and Whitney MacMillan claimed the top spot among Minnesotans, and ranked 79th overall with $3.8 billion each.
Other Minnesotans on the list were Richard Schulze, $2.5 billion; Glen Taylor, $2.2 billion; Stanley Hubbard, $1.75 billion, and the families of Barbara Carlson Gage and Marilyn Carlson Nelson, each at $1.6 billion.
Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Omaha-based investor Warren Buffett retained the top two spots on the list with $54 and $45 billion respectively. Combined, they added $9 billion to their holdings in 2009.
The overall Forbes list showed an increase in wealth last year among the 400 Richest, with a total combined wealth of $1.37 trillion, up 8 percent from the previous year; 217 members of the list saw their fortunes increase, while 85 declined in wealth, and 64 were unchanged.
Best Buy founder Richard Schulze was among the members whose wealth went down. He dropped 47 spots on the list to 144. In 2009, Schulze was ranked No. 97 and was worth $3 billion. The list is at www.forbes.com/Forbes400.
PATRICK KENNEDY
