Forbes 400 list includes 7 Coloradan billionaires, including a cheesemaker

Forbes recently released their list of the 400 wealthiest Americans and seven people from Colorado made the cut.

Here’s a breakdown of which Coloradans were featured on the list and what they’re known for.

1. Charles Ergen (56th; $13 billion)

Charles Ergen, 68, is the cofounder and chairman of the satellite TV provider Dish Network and the satellite communications company EchoStar. He started small in 1980, selling satellite dishes from the back of a truck, eventually taking Dish public in 1996. He has since become the richest person in Colorado.

2. Philip Anschutz (66th; $10.8 billion)

Perhaps best known for his ownership of entertainment company AEG (Anschutz Entertainment Group), Philip Anschutz, 81, has built his wealth over five decades. One of his most recent ventures involves 300,000 acres of land he owns in Wyoming, where he plans to build one of the largest wind farms in the world. In Colorado, Anschutz is also known for his ownership of the Broadmoor.

3. John Malone (98th; $8.4 billion)

According to Forbes, John Malone is nicknamed the ‘Cable Cowboy,’ best known for his role in developing the cable firm TCI. He also owns the Atlanta Braves baseball team under Liberty Media and closed a deal to acquire the Formula 1 racing league in 2017. Malone’s wealth rose significantly over the past year, up from $6.5 billion in 2020.

4. Mark Stevens (224nd; $4.8 billion)

A resident of Steamboat Springs, Mark Stevens was a partner at well-known venture capital firm Sequoia Capital. They’re best known for their investments in Google, PayPal, and LinkedIn. Prior to joining Sequoia, he worked at Intel and Hughes Aircraft.

5. Kenneth Tuchman (310th; $3.7 billion)

Kenneth Tuchman is the founder of the massive call center outsourcing giant TTEC, which operates on six continents. He studied architecture at a junior college prior to dropping out to pursue entrepreneurship. Currently 62, he resides in Denver, Colorado.

6. Pat Stryker (340th; $3.4 billion)

At 65, Pat Stryker is well-known as a philanthropist, having given away an estimated $225 million to charity over the years. Her grandfather founded Stryker Corp, which is a medical equipment company.

7. James Leprino (358th; $3.3 billion)

If you’ve eaten pizza from Domino’s, Papa John’s, or Pizza Hut, you’ve probably eaten cheese from James Leprino‘s Leprino Foods – they’re the exclusive supplier of mozzarella to all three companies. Not only is Leprino Foods the largest mozzarella cheese maker in the world, they also hold more than 50 patents representing many cheesy innovations they’ve made over the years.

See the full Forbes 400 list here.

Photo Credit: svariophoto (iStock). (svariophoto)
Photo Credit: svariophoto (iStock). (svariophoto)

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