The richest person in Wisconsin — 10 names, ranked by net worth and how they made it
The richest person in Wisconsin is Diane Hendricks, with a net worth of approximately $21.7 billion — overtaking longtime state leader John Menard Jr. in 2025 and cementing her status as America's wealthiest self-made woman. From a dairy farm in Mondovi to the chairmanship of the nation's largest roofing distributor, her rise is one of the most remarkable wealth stories in U.S. history. The state's 10 wealthiest residents span retail, healthcare software, agriculture, cleaning products, and sports ownership.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key takeaways
- Ranking the richest person in Wisconsin, USA
- 10. Mark Attanasio ($1.9 billion)
- 9. Wes Edens ($2.9 billion)
- 8. Jack Link & Family ($4.0 billion)
- 7. S. Curtis Johnson ($4.5 billion)
- 6. H. Fisk Johnson ($4.5 billion)
- 5. Helen Johnson-Leipold ($4.6 billion)
- 4. James Cargill II ($5.3 billion)
- 3. Judy Faulkner ($9.6 billion)
- 2. John Menard Jr. ($16.3 billion)
- 1. Diane Hendricks ($21.7 billion)
- FAQs
Key takeaways
- Diane Hendricks ($21.7B) is the richest person in Wisconsin and the #1 richest self-made woman in America, according to Forbes
- John Menard Jr. ($16.3B) is the runner-up, still one of the wealthiest individuals in the U.S., with wealth built on 340+ Menards stores generating ~$13B in annual sales
- The list ranges from $21.7 billion (Diane Hendricks) down to $1.9 billion (Mark Attanasio), a gap of nearly $20 billion
- Three members of the S.C. Johnson family appear on this list — Helen Johnson-Leipold, H. Fisk Johnson, and S. Curtis Johnson — all from Racine
- Wisconsin boasts at least seven confirmed Forbes 400 billionaires, collectively worth $71.6 billion
Ranking the richest person in Wisconsin, USA
Our rankings are based on net worth data from Forbes, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, and Stacker's Wisconsin billionaires compilation (updated June 2026). We prioritised the most recently published figures available at the time of writing. Only individuals with a primary residence or principal business in Wisconsin are included; those who merely own Wisconsin-based companies but live elsewhere are noted where relevant.
Rank | Name | Net Worth | Source of Wealth | Wisconsin City |
1 | Diane Hendricks | $21.7B | ABC Supply (building supplies) | Afton |
2 | John Menard Jr. | $16.3B | Menards (home improvement) | Eau Claire |
3 | Judy Faulkner | $9.6B | Epic Systems (healthcare software) | Madison |
4 | James Cargill II | $5.3B | Cargill (agribusiness) | Birchwood |
5 | Helen Johnson-Leipold | $4.6B | S.C. Johnson / Johnson Outdoors | Racine |
6 | H. Fisk Johnson | $4.5B | S.C. Johnson (cleaning products) | Racine |
7 | S. Curtis Johnson | $4.5B | S.C. Johnson (cleaning products) | Racine |
8 | Jack Link & Family | $4.0B | Jack Link's (meat snacks) | Minong |
9 | Wes Edens | $2.9B | Fortress Investment Group / Bucks | Milwaukee |
10 | Mark Attanasio | $1.9B | Crescent Capital / Brewers | Milwaukee |
10. Mark Attanasio ($1.9 billion)
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Mark Lawrence Attanasio
- Nationality: American
- Profession: Principal owner, Milwaukee Brewers; co-founder, Crescent Capital Group
- Net worth: $1.9 billion (Forbes 2025)
Mark Attanasio, ranked 1,850th on the Forbes World Billionaires list, is the principal owner of the Milwaukee Brewers and the managing partner and co-founder of Los Angeles-based debt-focused investment firm Crescent Capital Group.
He purchased the Brewers in 2005 and has since overseen a sustained competitive rebuild, including multiple playoff appearances. While Crescent Capital — a $40B+ alternative asset management firm he co-founded in 1991 — is the primary engine of his fortune, Attanasio has become one of Milwaukee's most prominent civic figures through his ownership of the team. Milwaukee Brewers principal owner Mark Attanasio, 68, has a net worth of $1.9 billion.
9. Wes Edens ($2.9 billion)
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Wesley Robert Edens
- Nationality: American
- Profession: Co-owner, Milwaukee Bucks; CEO, New Fortress Energy; co-founder, Fortress Investment Group
- Net worth: $2.9 billion (Forbes 2025)
Wes Edens, ranked 1,265th on the Forbes World Billionaires list, is a co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, former BlackRock partner, co-founder of asset management firm Fortress Investment Group, and CEO of liquefied natural gas company New Fortress Energy.
Edens co-founded Fortress Investment Group in 1998, which grew into one of the world's leading alternative asset managers before being acquired by SoftBank.
He purchased a stake in the Milwaukee Bucks in 2014 alongside Lasry and Dinan, and was a key driver behind the construction of Fiserv Forum. Bucks co-owner Wes Edens, 64, has a net worth of $2.5 billion per the most recent BizTimes tally, with Forbes placing him at $2.9 billion on the 2025 Billionaires list.
8. Jack Link & Family ($4.0 billion)
Source: Twitter
- Full name: John ("Jack") Link Jr.
- Nationality: American
- Profession: Founder and owner, Jack Link's Protein Snacks
- Headquarters: Minong, Wisconsin
- Net worth: $4.0 billion (Forbes, as of June 2026)
Jack Link & family have a net worth of $4.0 billion, with their source of wealth in Jack Link's meat snacks, living in Minong, Wisconsin. Jack Link's Protein Snacks is one of the largest meat snack companies in the world, best known for its Slim Jim and Jack Link's Beef Jerky brands.
Jack Link, 80, and family of Minong-based Jack Link's, has a net worth of $4 billion. The privately held company operates manufacturing plants across the United States, Europe, and Asia, and distributes its products to more than 40 countries. The Links have kept the business family-owned for generations, building a global snack empire from the forests of northern Wisconsin.
7. S. Curtis Johnson ($4.5 billion)
Source: UGC
- Full name: Samuel Curtis Johnson IV
- Nationality: American
- Profession: Former chairman, Diversey Inc.
- Affiliation: S.C. Johnson & Son heir
- Net worth: $4.5 billion (Forbes, as of June 2026)
- Residence: Racine, Wisconsin
S. Curtis Johnson has a net worth of $4.5 billion from cleaning products, lives in Racine, Wisconsin. He is a great-great-grandson of Samuel Curtis Johnson, who founded S.C. Johnson & Son in 1886. S. Curtis Johnson is a great-great-grandson of S.C. Johnson founder Samuel Curtis Johnson, with a net worth of $4.7 billion.
He served as chairman of Diversey, the commercial cleaning and hygiene business that was spun out of S.C. Johnson, before it was sold to Unilever and later to Bain Capital. H. Fisk Johnson is the chairman and CEO of Racine-based household cleaning products company S.C. Johnson, while Curtis Johnson, 69, of Racine, is the former chairman of Diversey.
Their fortunes are tied to one of the most iconic American family businesses, which generates roughly $11 billion in annual revenue.
6. H. Fisk Johnson ($4.5 billion)
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Herbert Fisk Johnson III
- Nationality: American
- Profession: Chairman and CEO, S.C. Johnson & Son
- Affiliation: S.C. Johnson & Son
- Net worth: $4.5 billion (Forbes, as of June 2026)
- Residence: Racine, Wisconsin
H. Fisk Johnson has a net worth of $4.5 billion from cleaning products, lives in Racine, Wisconsin. As chairman and CEO of S.C. Johnson & Son, H. Fisk Johnson leads one of the world's most recognisable household brands, including Windex, Raid, Pledge, and Ziploc.
Three of the seven Wisconsin Forbes 400 members are affiliated with S.C. Johnson & Son Inc., the global cleaning products company headquartered in Racine, which was founded in 1886 and now employs about 13,000 people, with about 2,000 of them based in Racine County.
Under H. Fisk's leadership, S.C. Johnson has reported annual revenues of approximately $11.4 billion, and the company has consistently ranked among the world's most admired companies for sustainability and employee welfare.
5. Helen Johnson-Leipold ($4.6 billion)
- Full name: Helen Patricia Johnson-Leipold
- Nationality: American
- Profession: Chairman and CEO, Johnson Outdoors; Chairman, Johnson Financial Group
- Affiliation: S.C. Johnson heir
- Net worth: $4.6 billion (Forbes, as of June 2026)
- Residence: Racine, Wisconsin
Helen Johnson-Leipold has a net worth of $4.6 billion from cleaning products, lives in Racine, Wisconsin. She is the wealthiest of the three S.C. Johnson heirs on this list. Helen Johnson-Leipold, 68, is the chairman and CEO of Racine-based Johnson Outdoors and the chairman of Racine-based Johnson Financial Group, and is also an heir to family-owned cleaning products company S.C. Johnson.
Johnson Outdoors is a publicly traded outdoor recreation company whose brands include Minn Kota trolling motors, Humminbird fish finders, and SCUBAPRO diving equipment.
Helen Johnson-Leipold, 69, heir to Racine-based and family-owned cleaning products company SC Johnson, chairman and CEO of Racine-based Johnson Outdoors, and chairman of Johnson Financial Group, has a net worth of $4.9 billion. She is the most operationally active of the three Johnson siblings on this list, running two separate Wisconsin-headquartered companies.
4. James Cargill II ($5.3 billion)
- Full name: James Robins Cargill II
- Nationality: American
- Profession: Heir and stakeholder, Cargill Inc.
- Net worth: $5.3 billion (Forbes, as of June 2026)
- Residence: Birchwood, Wisconsin
James R. Cargill II, born in 1949, is a pivotal figure in the legacy of Cargill, the corporation headed by his great-grandfather, William Wallace Cargill. He is one of the most quietly wealthy individuals in the state, living in the small town of Birchwood in Wisconsin's North Woods rather than a major metropolitan area.
The family still owns roughly 90% of Cargill, which did $154 billion in 2025 sales across food, agriculture, financial and industrial divisions, and the Cargill-MacMillan family collects an estimated 18% of net profits as dividends every year.
James Cargill II, 75, of Birchwood is one of 12 heirs to Minnetonka, Minnesota-based Cargill. Cargill is the largest privately held company in the United States by revenue, making even a fractional inheritance stake worth billions.
He actively participates on notable boards, including the Center of the American West at the University of Colorado at Boulder and the National Air and Space Museum's Board of Trustees, and has supported the Walker Art Center and the Minneapolis Institute of Art.
3. Judy Faulkner ($9.6 billion)
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Judith R. Faulkner
- Date of birth: August 11, 1943
- Age: 82 (as of July 2026)
- Nationality: American
- Profession: Founder and CEO, Epic Systems Corporation
- Net worth: $9.6 billion (Forbes, as of June 2026)
- Residence: Madison, Wisconsin
Judith R. Faulkner, born August 11, 1943, is an American billionaire businesswoman who is the CEO and founder of Epic Systems, a healthcare software company located in Verona, Wisconsin, which she founded in 1979 with the original name of Human Services Computing.
Judy Faulkner founded medical-record software provider Epic Systems in a Wisconsin basement in 1979. A computer programmer, she is CEO of the $6.7 billion (2025 sales) company, of which she owns an estimated 42%.
Epic supports the medical records of over 250 million patients and is used by top medical centres such as Johns Hopkins and Mayo Clinic, and the company has never raised venture capital or made an acquisition, developing all its software in-house.
In 2015, Faulkner signed The Giving Pledge, committing 99% of her assets to philanthropy. Rather than cashing in her equity, in 2024 she told Forbes that she was regularly selling around $100 million of her Epic shares a year back to the company, with proceeds going to her charitable foundation, Roots & Wings. Forbes has called her "the most powerful woman in healthcare."
2. John Menard Jr. ($16.3 billion)
- Full name: John Robert Menard Jr.
- Date of birth: January 22, 1940
- Age: 85 (as of July 2026)
- Nationality: American
- Profession: Founder and owner, Menard Inc. (Menards)
- Net worth: $16.3 billion (Forbes, as of June 2026)
- Residence: Eau Claire, Wisconsin
John Robert Menard Jr., born January 22, 1940, is an American billionaire businessman who is the founder and owner of Menards, a Midwestern chain of home improvement stores. For most of the past decade he was Wisconsin's richest person, though he was overtaken by Diane Hendricks in 2025.
Menard began building pole barns in 1958 to help fund his college education at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, a venture that evolved into building supplies company Menards Cashway Lumber, from which he sold lumber and building materials to the public. He opened his first hardware store in 1972.
John Menard Jr. has grown Menards into the third-largest home improvement retail chain in the U.S., with a reported $13 billion in revenue in 2024. The retailer has more than 350 stores in 15 states and roughly 45,000 employees.
Menard has developed a reputation for keeping a tight grip on his business, requiring even top executives to punch a time clock every morning. Menard sponsored the winning car at the 2019 Indy 500, his first win in nearly 40 years of involvement in racing. His son Paul Menard raced sixteen years in the NASCAR Cup Series, winning the 2011 Brickyard 400.
1. Diane Hendricks ($21.7 billion)
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Diane Marie Hendricks (née Smith)
- Date of birth: March 2, 1947
- Age: 78 (as of July 2026)
- Nationality: American
- Profession: Chair and owner, ABC Supply Co.; owner, Hendricks Holding Company
- Net worth: $21.7 billion (Forbes, as of June 2026)
- Residence: Afton, Wisconsin
Diane Marie Hendricks (née Smith), born March 2, 1947, is an American billionaire, businesswoman, and conservative political donor, and is the widow of the late businessman Ken Hendricks.
Hendricks was born in Mondovi, Wisconsin, and raised in Osseo, Wisconsin, the daughter of dairy farmers. At seventeen, she had her first child and began assembling pens at the Parker Pen Company in Janesville.
In 1975, Diane was selling custom-built homes, and she soon married and became business partners with roofing contractor Ken Hendricks, with whom she co-founded the roofing supply company ABC Supply in 1982.
Hendricks, the chair, owner and co-founder of Beloit-based ABC Supply, is now the wealthiest person in Wisconsin, having surpassed John Menard Jr. as Wisconsin's richest person. ABC Supply, a distributor of roofing supplies, has more than 900 branch locations and had $20.7 billion in revenue in 2024, according to Forbes.
Diane Hendricks is #1 on Forbes' 2026 America's Richest Self-Made Women list. In June 2025, she once again topped the Forbes' list of richest self-made women in America — the eighth year in a row she's led the list.
Beyond business, in 2024, she spoke in support of President Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee and donated at least $15 million to support the president's campaign, according to records from the Federal Election Commission.
FAQs
Who is the richest person in Wisconsin?
Diane Hendricks, the chair, owner, and co-founder of Beloit-based ABC Supply, is now the wealthiest person in Wisconsin, with a net worth of $22.3 billion, having surpassed John Menard Jr., the founder and owner of Eau Claire-based Menards. She overtook Menard on the Forbes 400 list in September 2025 and has since extended her lead.
How many billionaires does Wisconsin have?
Overall, Wisconsin has seven billionaires on the elite Forbes 400 list, worth a combined $71.6 billion. When the broader Forbes World Billionaires list is used instead of just the Forbes 400, the number rises slightly, as additional Wisconsin-connected figures such as Wes Edens and Mark Attanasio also qualify.
Who is Diane Hendricks and how did she make her money?
Hendricks was born in Mondovi, Wisconsin, the daughter of dairy farmers. She owns the Beloit, Wisconsin-based companies Hendricks Holding and ABC Supply, both of which she co-founded with her late husband Ken Hendricks.
ABC is the largest roofing, siding, and window distributor in the United States. Her net worth has grown dramatically in recent years, rising from $6.9 billion in 2020 to over $21 billion by 2025, according to Forbes.
Is John Menard still the richest person in Wisconsin?
No. Hendricks left race-car enthusiast Menard in her rear-view mirror with a new net worth of $22.3 billion, compared to just $20.5 billion for Wisconsin's one-time leader. Hendricks is the 44th-richest American while Menard ranks 48th, down from 37th the year prior — his net worth actually declined by 10% in the past year. John Menard Jr. remains Wisconsin's second-richest person.
How many millionaires are there in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has a substantial millionaire population. According to estimates based on IRS data and the Phoenix Marketing International Wealth & Affluent Monitor, Wisconsin consistently ranks in the middle tier of U.S. states for millionaire households, with roughly 170,000–180,000 millionaire households — approximately 5–6% of all households in the state. The Badger State's wealth is spread across manufacturing, agriculture, technology, and finance, rather than concentrated in a single industry sector.
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