Entrepreneurs
Jim Kennedy Net Worth
What is Jim Kennedy’s net worth?
Net Worth: | $8.2 Billion |
---|---|
Age: | 77 |
Born: | November 29, 1947 |
Gender: | Male |
Height: | Unknown |
Country of Origin: | United States of America |
Source of Wealth: | Media Executive |
Last Updated: | Dec 22, 2024 |
Introduction
Jim Kennedy is an American media executive with an estimated net worth of $8.2 Billion.
Kennedy is the current chair of Cox Enterprises. The conglomerate was founded by his grandfather, James M. Cox. Kennedy started his career in 1972, working in many media roles.
He then held many positions in the newspaper industry, including production assistant, reporter, copy editor, advertising salesman, business manager,
Early Life
James “Jim” Cox Kennedy was born on the 29th of November, 1947, in Honolulu.
Kennedy is the son of Barbara Cox Anthony and airline executive Stanley C. Kennedy Jr.
His maternal grandfather was James M. Cox, the 46th and 48th governor of Ohio, newspaper publisher, and broadcaster. He received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Denver in 1970.
In 2003, he received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Kennesaw State University.
Career
James C. Kennedy started as a newspaper production assistant at Cox Enterprises in 1972, followed by roles as a reporter, copy editor, and advertising salesman.
Kennedy’s commitment and versatility quickly propelled him into the spotlight and by 1979, he assumed the role of president at Grand Junction Newspapers, Inc.
Unlike Rupert Murdoch who started his own media company, Jim Kennedy inherited his interest in Cox Enterprises from his mother.
In 1986, he was appointed executive vice president of Cox Enterprises and his impact on the company earned him the title of the “New Kid” in the industry.
Such was his contribution to the newspaper industry that he was later inducted into the Technology Association of Georgia’s Technology Hall of Fame in 2016.
Pinnacle of Success
In 2004, he was honored by Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business Hall of Fame for his contribution to the state.
A Forbes profile in 2015 titled “This Billionaire Knows The Secret To Saving A Family Business” highlighted his career success.
Two years later, in 2017, he was ranked as the 105th-richest person globally and 37th among the wealthiest individuals in the United States.
He held the title of the wealthiest person in the state of Georgia, having built his wealth to the point of becoming a billionaire.
Kennedy is one of the richest people in the world, joining Jack Ma, and Phil Knight on the list of wealthy industrialists.
Becoming Philanthropist Of The Year
Beyond his financial success, Kennedy was a recognized philanthropist, with the prestigious title of Philanthropist of the Year in 2003 from the Association for Fundraising Professionals.
Jim’s dedication to education is remembered through the Jim Kennedy Scholarship Fund and a contribution of $10 million to the University of Denver in 2008.
His fund offers 10 scholarships each year of $40,000 a piece to children of full-time Cox Enterprises employees who have a minimum 2.50 GPA.
Kennedy also contributed to the community through various foundations, serving on the board of the PATH Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, and the Atlanta Committee for Progress.
In 2008, he established the James C. Kennedy Endowed Chair in Waterfowl and Wetlands Conservation at the Mississippi State University.
Despite his remarkable success, Kennedy remains grounded and emphasizes the importance of sustainability, having featured as a speaker at Fortune’s Brainstorm Green.
Facing Health Challenges
Kennedy’s journey hasn’t been without challenges and in 2014, he faced a personal health crisis when diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Following his diagnosis, he threw himself behind an advocacy program for men’s health awareness, successfully raising nearly $2 million for the Movember Foundation.
He accomplished this with the help of Cox Enterprises and emerged from his ordeal cancer-free while continuing to promote health screenings for early detection.
In 2015, he announced a substantial $25 million grant to Emory for prostate cancer initiatives, proof of his ongoing commitment to health causes.
Like entrepreneur Bershan Shaw and ice hockey player, Saku Koivu, Kennedy has survived cancer and gone on to continue their life unimpeded.
Family Roots And Legacy
James C. Kennedy’s familial ties to Cox Enterprises are deeply rooted in his maternal grandfather, James M. Cox, serving as the 46th and 48th governor of Ohio.
This laid the foundation for the family’s involvement in media and business and was the starting point for his family’s media empire.
His sister, Blair Parry-Okeden, shares an equivalent stake in Cox Enterprises, inherited from their mother, Barbara Cox Anthony.
Kennedy is also particularly dedicated to the University of Denver, where he maintained his role as a board of trustees member.
He is actively engaged in wildlife conservation, establishing endowed chairs and centers at various institutions.
He’s Not Free From Controversy
Kennedy was involved in a dispute over public access rights to a river stretch he owns in Montana, stirring considerable controversy in the media.
The Wetlands America Trust presented him with its 2014 National Blue-winged Teal Award for his contribution to conserving the country’s natural resources.
His career serves as an inspiring narrative for aspiring business leaders who have started at the bottom and worked their way up in the organization.
In 2007, he inherited a 25% stake in Cox Enterprises from his mother’s estate, but had by then learned the business inside out.
Jim Kennedy Net Worth
Jim Kennedy’s net worth is estimated to be roughly $8.2 Billion.
Highlights
Here are some of the best highlights of Jim Kennedy’s career:
- The current chairman of Cox Enterprises
- He gave $3.1M to create a University Endowed Chair in Wetlands and Waterfowl Conservation at Colorado State University (2016)
Summary
Jim Kennedy is an American media executive who started at Cox Newspapers.
After a stint in Grand Junction, Colorado as president of Grand Junction Newspapers, Inc.
Today, he is the chairman of Cox Enterprises. The Atlanta-based business controls the third-biggest cable operator in the U.S.
Jim Kennedy’s net worth is estimated to be roughly $8.2 Billion.
What do you think about Jim Kennedy’s net worth? Leave a comment below.
Entrepreneurs
Carlos Ghosn Net Worth
What is Carlos Ghosn’s net worth?
Net Worth: | $120 Million |
---|---|
Age: | 70 |
Born: | March 9, 1954 |
Gender: | Male |
Height: | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) |
Country of Origin: | Brazil |
Source of Wealth: | Entrepreneur |
Last Updated: | Dec 21, 2024 |
Introduction
Carlos Ghosn is a Brazilian-born French businessman with an estimated net worth of $120 Million.
Ghosn is best known for being the CEO of Michelin North America, Renault, AvtoVAZ, Nissan, and Mitsubishi Motors.
Career Overview
After graduating from the École des Mines de Paris in 1978, Carlos Ghosn worked for Michelin for 18 years. At first, he trained and worked at several plants throughout France and Germany before becoming a manager in Le Puy-en-Velay, France.
In 1984, Ghosn became the head of research and development and, a year later, was named the COO of the company’s operations in South America.
Ghosen moved to Rio de Janeiro, where the business had become unprofitable due to Brazil’s hyperinflation. Tasked with turning things around, Ghosen rose to the challenge with success and was named the president and COO of Michelin North America in 1989.
Rising Through The Ranks
In 1990, Carlos Ghosn became the CEO of Michelin North America and oversaw the company’s restructuring after purchasing Uniroyal Goodrich Tyre Company.
Six years later, Ghosn was elected Vice President of research, purchasing, development, and manufacturing at Renault, a French auto manufacturer. Under his guidance, Renault became exceptionally profitable, which led to Renault and Nissan forming the Renault-Nissan Alliance in 1999.
While maintaining his previous roles, Ghosn became Nissan’s COO and was named president in 2000 and CEO in 2001. Ghosn turned Nissan’s sinking profits around with his “Nissan Revival Plan,” which reduced the company’s debt by 50% by 2002. To do this, he cut 14% of jobs, shut down five Japanese plants, and auctioned off assets, including the company’s aerospace division.
In 2005, he became Renault’s president and chief executive, making him the first person to run two Fortune 500 companies simultaneously. While not as wealthy as the richest people in America, Ghosn’s business strategies for success were undeniable, even if some people disagreed with his methods.
Ghosn’s Recent Business Deals
Carlos Ghosn became the chairman of GM in 2005, following a merger between the company and Renault and Nissan. Ford offered to allow Ghosn to lead the company the following year, but he refused, stating he’d have to be made both CEO and chairman.
In 2007, Ghosn pushed Renault-Nissan into the electric car market, which helped make it the world leader in electric vehicles by 2017. Soon after, he was named the deputy chairman of the Russian auto manufacturer AvtoVAZ and, in 2013, became the company’s chairman.
After a long tenure, Ghosn stepped down as CEO of Nissan in 2017 while remaining chairman and was succeeded by Saikawa Hiroto. However, the year before, Ghosn had become chairman of Mitsubishi Motors following Nissan’s acquisition of a 34% stake in the company.
Arrest & Legal Issues
Ghosn’s arrest in Tokyo in November 2018 ignited a major corporate scandal. Japanese authorities charged him with concealing over $80 million in income and using Nissan funds for personal expenses. Shortly after, additional allegations surfaced, including breach of trust and misuse of company assets for personal gain.
In 2019, U.S. authorities added charges for his failure to disclose $140 million in expected compensation and retirement benefits, leading Ghosn to settle with a $1 million fine and a 10-year ban from serving as an officer or director of any U.S. public company.
Ghosn spent several months in solitary confinement in a Tokyo prison cell and was eventually granted bail at 1 billion yen (around $8.9 million), a record-breaking amount in Japan at the time. However, his bail was granted under strict conditions, such as that he would remain under house arrest, constant surveillance, and be limited to restricted contact with others. But in December 2019, Ghosn executed a dramatic escape from house arrest, hiding inside an audio equipment box on a private jet to Turkey, and then boarded another plane bound for Beirut, Lebanon, a country with no extradition agreement with Japan.
From Beirut, Ghosn claimed his arrest was a corporate scheme led by Nissan executives aiming to block his $30 billion plan for a full Nissan-Renault merger. He argues that Nissan’s leadership, worried about losing control to Renault, worked with Japanese officials to push him out.
Ghosn has since openly criticized Japan’s justice system, which has a 99% conviction rate, calling it “hostage justice” because of the pressure placed on defendants to confess under strict detention.
As of this year, Ghosn is still hiding out in Lebanon, facing international arrest warrants from Japan and France along with an Interpol Red Notice.
Estimated Net Worth
In 2024, Carlos Ghosn’s net worth is estimated to be $120 Million.
What do you think about Carlos Ghosn’s net worth? Leave a comment below.
Entrepreneurs
Rich Barton Net Worth
What is Rich Barton’s net worth?
Net Worth: | $2.1 Billion |
---|---|
Age: | 57 |
Born: | June 2, 1967 |
Gender: | Male |
Height: | Unknown |
Country of Origin: | United States of America |
Source of Wealth: | Entrepreneur |
Last Updated: | Dec 21, 2024 |
Introduction
Rich Barton is an American entrepreneur and CEO of Zillow Group with an estimated net worth of $2.1 Billion.
Barton has founded multiple companies, including online travel company Zillow, job search engine Glassdoor, and photography site Trover. Barton was a venture partner at Benchmark and is on the board of directors for Netflix, Avvo, Nextdoor, and Artsy.
Career Overview
After graduating from Stanford University with an engineering degree, Rich Barton started working for the Alliance Consulting Group in 1989.
In 1991, he left and began working for Microsoft as a project manager for the operating system MS-DOS 5.0. While working for Microsoft, Barton founded the travel site Expedia in 1994 as the company was planning to build a travel guide on CD-ROM. However, Barton pitched the idea of an online service to Bill Gates, who permitted him to pursue the project.
In 1996, Expedia made its debut on the internet, and Rich was the CEO of the site’s IPO until 2003, when it was purchased for $3.6 billion.
Making Billions
After selling Expedia’s IP, Rich Barton took a year-long break from business to relax in Italy and enjoy his success. However, he didn’t rest for too long and made a comeback in 2004 to begin setting his next business plan in motion. Now in Seattle, Barton began working on the site Zillow, which he believed could transform the real estate industry.
In December 2004, Zillow was incorporated in Washington and officially launched in February 2006. Upon launch, the site included a home valuation tool, sales history, and value appreciation information. However, the site crashed on the morning of its launch because the servers weren’t strong enough to handle the immense traffic.
By 2008, Zillow had grown exponentially and, in 2010, had become incredibly profitable for the first time since its launch.
In 2012, Barton purchased Rentjuice and Hotpads, followed by Street Easy in 2013 and Trulia in 2015. All of this helped make Rich Barton one of the richest people in America, and his net worth continues to increase.
Maintaining Zillow
Although Rich Barton stepped down as CEO in 2010, he returned in 2019, replacing Spencer Rascoff. A year prior, the site began buying and selling through the new Zillow Offers, which partnered with local real estate agents. Upon returning to the CEO position, Barton began expanding Zillow Offers into new markets across the United States. However, when the pandemic struck in 2020, Zillow saw its stock hit a four-year low, forcing them to cut expenses to stay profitable.
By July 2020, Zillow became one of the first companies to allow employees to work from home permanently. This allowed them to hire an additional 1,500 employees with the plan to expand their workforce by 40% by the end of 2021.
Unfortunately, things didn’t pan out, and Barton announced in November 2021 that Zillow was shutting down its home-buying business and laying off 25% of employees.
This didn’t stop the Zillow Group from acquiring other businesses throughout the 2020s to expand their reach. These companies include ShowingTime, Follow Up Boss, and VRX Media, all of which have benefited Zillow. At the same time, Forbes named Barton a billionaire in 2020 after his earnings from Zillow continued to grow.
Now one of the richest people in the world, Rich Barton has a $700 million stake in Zillow and plans to turn it into a home-flipping machine. He’s undoubtedly lived up to his first name, earning billions through his business.
Rich Barton Net Worth
In 2024, Rich Barton’s net worth is estimated to be $2.1 Billion.
Highlights
Here are some of the best highlights of Rich Barton’s career:
- Chief executive officer of Zillow Group
- One of the top 10 innovators under 35 by MIT Technology Review (2003)
- Presidential Ambassadors for Continental Entrepreneurship (2012)
Summary
Rich Barton is an American entrepreneur and businessman best known for being the CEO of the Zillow Group.
He is also the founder of Expedia and Glassdoor. Barton was born in Connecticut and graduated from Standford University. He has also founded the online travel photography-sharing site Trover.
He was a venture partner at Benchmark and served on the boards of directors for Netflix and Artsy. In 2012, he was named one of Barack Obama‘s Presidential Ambassadors for Continental Entrepreneurship.
What do you think about Rich Barton’s net worth? Leave a comment below.
Entrepreneurs
Russell Simmons Net Worth
What is Russell Simmons’ net worth?
Net Worth: | $340 Million |
---|---|
Age: | 67 |
Born: | October 4, 1957 |
Gender: | Male |
Height: | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) |
Country of Origin: | United States of America |
Source of Wealth: | Entrepreneur |
Last Updated: | Dec 21, 2024 |
Russell Simmons is an American record producer and entrepreneur with an estimated net worth of $340 Million.
Simmons is the co-founder of the record label Def Jam and has been among the top 25 most influential people in the industry over the past 25 years, playing a pivotal role in bringing hip-hop music to the forefront.
Early Life
Russell Simmons was born in Queens, New York, on October 4, 1957.
He is the son of Daniel Simmons Sr. and Evelyn Simmons. His father was a public school administrator, and his mother worked as a park administrator. Simmons attended the City College of New York for some time, after which he dropped out and went on to promote local musicians.
Career
During college, Simmons met industry mentor Robert Ford Jr., and a few years later, he co-founded Def Jam Recordings with Rick Rubin. In 1985, he co-produced and appeared alongside Daryl McDaniels in the film “Krush Groove” and launched the Def Comedy Jam television program.
From Rap To Riches
The Def Comedy Jam program featured notable figures such as Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, and Martin Lawrence, who were prominent comedians then. At the same time, Russell’s services to the music industry and hip-hop culture were honored at the 2004 VH1 Hip Hop Honors. A few years later, he produced hit films “The Nutty Professor” featuring Eddie Murphy and “How to Be a Player.”
In 2003, Russell established RushCard, a prepaid debit card provider, and launched Phat Fashions LLC, featuring Phat Farm and Baby Phat labels. The apparel line has a traditional appearance and feel thanks to the influence of designers like Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger. Not long after establishing the business, he sold Phat Farm and Baby Phat to Kellwood Company in 2004 for $140 million.
That same year, he formed the Russell Simmons Music Group as a joint venture with Universal Music’s Island Def Jam Music Group.
Simmons’ Vegan Advocacy
Additionally, he co-founded the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation and received an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Humane Letters from Claremont Lincoln University in 2014. He also coordinated the anti-Rockefeller Drug Law demonstrations promoting more equitable drug laws and was designated as the UN Slavery Memorial’s Goodwill Ambassador.
Russell is a huge PETA supporter and won the PETA Humanitarian Award in 2001 and the Person of the Year Award. The group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) fights against animal abuse in entertainment and industry, advances vegetarianism, and defends animal rights. Many celebrities, such as Pamela Anderson, Ellen DeGeneres, and Woody Harrelson, are just a few of the figures supporting PETA.
His involvement with the NGO has influenced him to live a healthier lifestyle. He has become vegan himself and promotes the routine.
Signing Lil Skies And Jack Harlow
Simmons, a vegan since 1999, supports the David Lynch Foundation, which encourages activism, mindfulness, and vegetarianism; he also practices Jivamukti Yoga and Transcendental Meditation. He supports the Somaly Mam Foundation, which combats human trafficking and sexual slavery and endorses the second Muslim Jewish Conference promoting interfaith dialogue and cooperation.
In 2012, Simmons’ book “Super Rich: A Guide to Having It All” took home the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Non-Fiction.
To top it all off, Richtopia listed him as one of the 200 most influential social entrepreneurs and philanthropists worldwide in 2017.
Russell released the “Masterminds of Hip Hop” NFT collection alongside Snoop Dogg and Ice-T and became a senior advisor for the vegan brand Everything Legendary.
Recently, Russell has been more involved in Def Jam Records, signing up-and-coming artists such as Lil Skies, Jack Harlow, and Dreezy.
Estimated Net Worth
Highlights
Here are some of the best highlights of Russell Simmons’ career:
- Co-founded Def Jam (1983)
- Krush Groove (Movie, 1985)
- Launched Clothing Line (1992)
- Sold Phat Farm (2004)
Summary
Russell Simmons was one of the first producers in the industry to co-found one of the most significant record labels ‘Def Jam’. Simmons has collaborated with some of the best artists, such as Jay Z and LL Cool J.
What do you think about Russell Simmons’ net worth? Leave a comment below.
-
Richest People1 year ago
The 30 Richest People in the World
-
Richest People10 months ago
The 50 Richest Rappers in the World
-
Richest People10 months ago
The 50 Richest Singers in the World
-
Richest People12 months ago
The 50 Richest Actors in the World
-
Richest People12 months ago
The 50 Richest Athletes in the World
-
Entrepreneurs10 months ago
Jeff Bezos Net Worth
-
Richest People12 months ago
The 50 Richest DJs in the World
-
Top Lists1 year ago
The 10 Most Inspirational Short Stories I’ve Heard