Forbes 400

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The Forbes 400 (est. 1982) is an annual list published by Forbes magazine of the wealthiest 400 people in the United States, ranked by net worth. In 2005 their combined wealth topped $1.13 trillion with 94% (all but 26) being billionaires. The Forbes list provides a glimpse of what can only be called an economic oligarchy, with an average net worth of $2.8 billion.

The 24th annual edition has 33 new members including Gulf Coast oilman Tracy Krohn, real estate developer Steven Roth, and James Leprino who built $1.3 billion in wealth supplying cheese to Little Caesar's and Papa John's.

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2005 Top 10

At the top of the list is Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, with a net worth of 51 billion dollars. Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page are the youngest members at 32 years old and ranked 16th overall, each worth $11 billion. The 400th wealthiest person was shared by 16 members including Stephen Case of America Online.

The Forbes 400 list contains other prominent names including Donald Trump and Oprah Winfrey.

Eight members from last year's list died, including Jay Van Andel, co-founder of Amway, and John Walton as a result of an ultralight aircraft crash in June. John H. Johnson, founder of Johnson Publishing Company was the first African-American to appear on the list had a fortune estimated at close to $600 million, died in 2005.

Thirty-three members from last year's list are not included in 2005 because their fortunes could not keep pace with the rising $900 million minimum such as Teresa Heinz Kerry, the wife of 2004 Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.

The Founder's Club is a list of members who were on the Forbes 400 since its inception in 1982. In 2003, only 54 founders were on the list because some are not as rich now as they once were, and others are deceased.

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