The richest person in U.S

Design: Nick DeSantis, Forbes Staff

Charles “Charlie” Ergen is one of the toughest dealmakers in cable and satellite TV. He retook the CEO job at DISH Networks in early 2015, nearly four years after he stepped back to the chairman’s role. In early 2015 DISH spent more than $10 billion buying up wireless spectrum at a government auction, prompting speculation that Ergen may take his companies into the wireless space. Ergen began selling satellite dishes in rural Colorado in 1980.

Design: Nick DeSantis, Forbes Staff

Forrest Mars Jr. and his siblings, John and Jacqueline, own Mars, the world’s largest candy maker with $33 billion in sales. The company makes virtually all the goodies it sells in the U.S. Forrest’s grandfather, Frank, began making chocolates in 1911 in his kitchen. The company also makes Uncle Ben’s rice and pet food brands like Pedigree. Forrest and his siblings are company directors but have no day-to-day role in the company. 

Design: Nick DeSantis, Forbes Staff

The son of a newspaper publisher, Knight ran track at the University of Oregon before going to business school at Stanford. He graduated with an MBA and decided to travel the world. While abroad, Knight met Japanese shoe suppliers, then founded the company that would become Nike with his old track coach Bill Bowerman. After 51 years in charge, Phil Knight announced in June 2015 that he would step down as chairman of the shoe giant.

Design: Nick DeSantis, Forbes Staff

 Sheldon Adelson makes billions running Las Vegas Sands, America’s largest casino company, and he donates millions to the Republican Party. His net worth fell in 2015 as revenues declined at Las Vegas Sands’ Macau casinos. In 1995, Adelson sold his tech conference Comdex for $862 million and spent $1.5 billion building the Venetian hotel and casino in Las Vegas. In 2015 his family bought the Las Vegas Review-Journal newspaper for $140 million.

Design: Nick DeSantis, Forbes Staff

 Mark Zuckerberg added nearly $18 billion to his fortune in the past year, as Facebook’s stock price shot up by almost 50%. The social network has boosted revenues thanks to growth in mobile advertising and a 15% growth in new users. The company is investing heavily in virtual reality, artificial intelligence and improving global Web access. “Zuck” founded Facebook in 2004 when he was 19, and dropped out of Harvard to move it to Silicon Valley.

Design: Nick DeSantis, Forbes Staff

Bill Gates has built a reputation as a serious thinker about the world’s problems, steering his foundation to tackle issues like improving healthcare around the world. At the 2015 United Nations climate talks in Paris, Gates announced the formation of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition, a group of more than 20 billionaires who’ve agreed to invest in clean energy. Gates owns roughly 2.5% of Microsoft, accounting for just under 15% of his fortune.