Coloradans typically make a good showing among a list of billionaires across the nation — but slip in the rankings done by Forbes magazine when the rest of the world is added in.
Dish Network’s Charlie Ergen is No. 1 in the state among the magazine’s latest “top” list of the world’s wealthiest people, ranked 43rd with $20.1 billion, up from $17.2 billion just six months ago.
That’s 10 places lower than Ergen, founder and chairman of the Douglas County-based pay-TV company, ranked in September’s list of America’s wealthiest.
Also slipping a few spots is Philip Anschutz, who was the world’s 104th richest — and America’s 40th richest — with $11.8 billion, through investments in oil and gas, real estate, technology and entertainment.
Among other Coloradans on the list are cable magnate John Malone, the nation’s 60th-richest person with $8.3 billion, and James Leprino of Leprino Foods, with $3 billion.
Microsoft founder Bill Gates’ fortune slipped to $79.2 billion from $81 billion, but that was still enough to top the global list.
Second place was held by Mexican telecom giant Carlos Slim Helu at $77.1 billion. Investor Warren Buffett moved up one slot to third place with $72.7 billion. On the “downside,” average net worth slipped by about $60 million from last year to $3.92 billion, Forbes said of its list, which will appear in its March 23 magazine.
David Migoya: 303-954-1506, dmigoya@denverpost.com or
Richest Coloradans
Here is the list of the seven Coloradans with at least a billion dollars of assets.
Rank, Name, Assets (in billions), Residence
43, Charles Ergen, $20.1, Denver
104, Philip Anschutz, $11.8, Denver
162, John Malone, $8.3, Elizabeth
603, James Leprino, $3.0, Indian Hills
847, Pat Stryker, $2.2, Fort Collins
1,250, Gary Magness, $1.5, Denver
1,638, Thomas Bailey, $1.1, Aspen
