The 10 Richest People in Tennessee
Franklin and Brentwood, Tennessee are two of the most affluent locations in the state. However, Belle Meade in Nashville is where most of the historic families who have amassed large fortunes live.
According to MSN, The billionaires in Nashville control more resources than any other city in the United States. Three of the richest billionaires live in Nashville and have a total wealth of $20.7 billion dollars. Thomas J. Frist ranks as the wealthiest.
Franklin, Tennesse has another three billionaires with approximately a third of Nashville’s combined wealth. In 2018, nine Nashville billionaires made their richest billionaires list. These are ten of the richest people who live in Tennessee.
10. Cal Turner Jr. Net Worth – $1.8 Billion
In 1962, he graduated from Vanderbilt University. Three years later, he started working at Dollar General, the company his father and grandfather co-founded. In 1977, he succeeded his father as president of the company. After in 2003, he’s served on many charity foundation boards, including the Easter Seal Society of Tennessee.
9. Mason Hawkins Net Worth – $1.8 Billion
Mason Hawkins started his career as the Director of Research Atlantic National Bank. He only worked there three years before establishing his own company, Southeastern Asset Management Incorporation. According to valuewalk, his father was the one who planted the early seeds for an investment career. He gave his son a copy of Intelligent Investor and Security Analysis. Even though Hawkins wasn’t interested at the time, later, these were two essential books in his coursework.
8. Forest Preston Net Worth – $2.1 Billion
Forrest Preston is a self-made billionaire who founded Life Care Centers of America in the 1970s. Health Care for the elderly is how he has amassed his considerable fortune. Preston is the only shareholder in the company, one of the largest health care providers in the company. In 1970, he opened the first facility; Garden Terrace Convalescent Center was opened in Cleveland, Tennessee.
7. Jeff Lorberbaum Net Worth – $2.1 Billion
Jeffery Lorberbaum was born on October 24, 1954, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. His company, Mohawk Industries, is globally recognized as the largest flooring company. His father was the inspiration for his success. He started Aladin Mills in 1957. In 1994 they merged the two companies.
6. Brad Kelley Net Worth – $2.2 Billion
According to therichest, Brad Kelley is one of the biggest landowners in the United States. Two of the companies he has stock in Kelley Conservation Foundation and Von Technologies. He founded Commonwealth Brands, a cigarette company, in 1991. Several years later, he sold it for a billion dollars. Ironically, Kelley was never a smoker and wanted to phase them out.
5. Governor Bill Haslam Net Worth – $2.5 Billion
Governor Bill Haslam was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, where he spent his early life. He joined the Sigma Chi fraternity and Young Life ministry while studying at Emory University. Before becoming governor of Tennessee, he was elected mayor of Knoxville.
During his time as mayor, he owned part of the Tennessee Smokies Baseball team, a minor league team with ties to the Chicago Cubs. Even though he was registered as a Republican, he won on a nonpartisan ticket. In 2008, George W. Bush appointed him to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, where Haslam served until 2012.
4. Jimmy Haslam Net Worth – $3.8 Billion
Pilot Flying was founded in 1958 by Jimmy Haslam’s father, which he started with a single gas station in Virginia. Jimmy Haslam is now the CEO of Pilot, which grew to almost a thousand locations.
According to Forbes, Pilot convenience centers generate approximately 30 billion dollars a year. Haslam joined the board of directors during his senior year at the Univerity of Tennessee.
During this time, he was roommates with another well-known name in Tennesee Bob Corker. In 2006. He was a marketing campaign chair for the senator’s campaign. Later, he served as Statewide Finance Chairman. In addition, he is linked to another critical political figure; Governor Bill Haslam is his brother.
3. Fred Smith Net Worth – $3.7 Billion
His first venture was the Toddle House Restaurant chain which he opened to help support his family since his father died when he was four. In 1971, he had an idea for a company that would deliver packages overnight. This idea became Federal Express Corporation, a company responsible for changing an essential part of the business.
According to referenceforbusiness, Fed Ex was the first American company to reach 10 billion dollars in profits. Although the company was a massive success, Smith continued his life philosophy; people and service. Despite risk-taking in business, he maintains his civic-minded attitude and leads his company with a tough but fair approach.
2. Martha Ingram Net Worth – $3.7 Billion
Martha Ingram was born in Charleston, South Carolina, on August 20, 1995. She is the former chairman of Vanderbilt University and Ingram industries. Additionally, she worked for two radio and television stations WCSC-AM/FM and WCS-TV.
Ingram industries took over her late husband’s computer company after he died in 1995. The company became Ingram Micro which was acquired by the Chinese company HNA in 2016.
Her sons Orrin and John became the CEO and chairman of another part of Ingram Industries, Ingram Marine. This company is a major player in America’s inland waterways with numerous tugboats and barges.
1. Thomas H. Frist Net Worth – $7.9 Billion
Thomas Frist is a former Air Force flight surgeon. Alongside his father, he founded Hospital Corp of America with his father in 1968. According to encyclopedia.com, Hospital Corporation of America ranks as one of the largest hospital management companies.
Even though its offerings are traditional, it continues to lead the way, being forward-thinking in the medical industry. The company operates 185 locations. Thomas H. Frist does not hold an executive position with the company. However, his sons Thomas Frist III and William Frist are both members of the board. Nashville’s art museum is named after the family.
You can also read:
- The 10 Richest People in Missouri
- The 10 Richest People in Alabama
- The 10 Richest People in Louisiana
- The 10 Richest People in Oklahoma
- The 10 Richest People in South Carolina
