13 Richest Women in America, According to Forbes
When we talk about the richest people on the planet, our mind often gravitates toward figures like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Bill Gates. But, many women have achieved wealth and status on their own and deserve recognition as well.
Hitting billionaire status is a monumental achievement and dozens of women have done it on their own. They’re self-starters, tackling the business world and making an impact few do.
Forbes regularly updates its list of wealthiest people in the world. These are the top 13 richest self-made women as of 2024.
1. Diane Hendricks
The richest self-made woman in the world is Diane Hendricks and it comes from her wholesale distribution company ABC Supply. Last year, the company made $20.4 billion in revenues, a far cry from its humble beginnings back in 1982.
Hendricks is worth just under $21 billion and still chairs the company to this day.
2. Judy Love
If you’ve ever stopped at a Love’s truck stop on a trip, that’s Judy Love’s handiwork. She and her husband, who passed away in 2023, founded the company 60 years ago with just $5,000.
Today, there are 640 Love’s truck stops around the country, which have netted Judy Love an $11.6 billion net worth.
3. Judy Faulkner
Judy Faulkner is the brains behind Epic Systems, a software used by top medical providers around the country. She serves as the CEO of the company and owns 47% of its stake.
Faulkner is currently worth $7.6 billion, but has signed a pledge to eventually donate the majority of her assets to charity.
4. Thai Lee
Thai Lee has made her substantial wealth in technology, particularly in the information technology (IT) sector. She and her husband bought a reseller in 1989, then founded SHI International, which serves top companies such as AT&T and Boeing.
Lee graduated from Harvard and worked for American Express and Procter & Gamble before she led SHI to success. She is worth $6.8 billion.
5. Elizabeth Uihlein
Anyone who orders packaging and industrial supplies in bulk has heard of Uline. They might not have heard of Elizabeth Uihlein, president of the company. In 1980, she and her husband, Richard, started the company in their basement and over the years, grew it to the giant it is now.
All of that success has paid off. As of 2024, Uihlein is worth $6.7 billion.
6. Lynda Resnick
Farming can be a very profitable venture when done right. Lynda Resnick and her husband proved that by co-founding and running Wonderful Company, one of the US’ largest operations.
Despite dropping out of college at age 19, Resnick has had a successful career. Her individual wealth is measured at $5.6 billion.
7. Marian Ilitch
Marian Ilitch is best known for co-founding Little Caesars Pizza, which despite its low prices, rakes in more than $5 billion per year in sales. But, that’s not all. Ilitch also owns the Detroit Red Wings and her family trust owns the Detroit Tigers.
Ilitch is very involved in the sports community in the Motor City and that has yielded her enormous wealth. She’s worth $4.6 billion as of 2024.
8. Gail Miller
Gail Miller has made her wealth through multiple ventures. She started with a single dealership, which she and her husband, Larry, turned into one of the largest groups in America. She sold it in 2021 to Asbury Automotive.
Miller also owns a stake in the Utah Jazz NBA team, which she once owned, and is working with investors to bring a professional baseball team to the state. Her net worth is valued at $4.4 billion.
9. Johnelle Hunt
J.B. Hunt trucks can be seen traveling the highways across the country, transporting goods from one state to the next. Johnelle Hunt and her husband, J.B., launched the trucking company in 1969, and the rest is history.
Despite having stepped down from the company in 2008, two years after her husband’s death, Hunt maintains 18% of the firm’s stake. She’s worth $4.3 billion.
10. Eren Ozmen
There’s a lot of money to be made in the aerospace sector, as Eren Ozmen has proven. She’s currently the majority owner of Sierra Nevada Corporation, a private aerospace and defense company she and her husband bought in 1994.
Ozmen’s success in the field, including landing prestigious contracts with NASA, has led to her Forbes valuation of $3.7 billion.
11. Jayshree Ullal
Since 2008, Ullal has headed up the computer networking firm, Arista Networks, as its president and CEO. Last year, the company was valued at an astonishing $5.9 billion. When she joined the company, it had no revenue. Now, Ullal owns a small percentage of its stock.
Her accomplishments have led to her riches, valued at $3.6 billion.
12. Meg Whitman
Meg Whitman has had a very successful career, serving as CEO for several major companies, including Hewlett-Packard, Quibi, and eBay. She has also sat on boards of prominent companies, including GM and Proctor & Gamble.
Since 2022, she has served as a US ambassador. Whitman’s wealth currently clocks in at $3.4 billion.
13. Peggy Cherng
If you’ve ever visited a Panda Express, the popular Chinese food drive-thru, you have Peggy Cherng to thank for that. She is the co-founder and CEO of the company, which has expanded to more than 2,000 locations since its first location opened in 1983.
Cherng, who was once an electrical engineer for McDonnell Douglas and 3M, has a net worth of $3.1 billion as of 2024.
