Yahoo Finance 10 Richest Self-Made Women in America: How They Made Their Fortunes
The richest self-made women in the country include pop stars, entrepreneurs and C-suite executives, all of whom have built their fortunes from the ground up. Forbes’ complete list of America’s Richest Self-Made Women includes 100 women who have a combined net worth of $154 billion — a nearly 25% increase from 2023. As women’s wealth grows, it’s become even harder to make the cut: the cutoff for those included rose from $225 million last year to $300 million for 2024.
Here’s a look at the self-made women who made the top 10, plus how they each grew their impressive fortunes.
Also see how Diane Hendricks became America’s richest self-made woman.
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1. Diane Hendricks
Net worth: $20.9 billion
Source of wealth: Building supplies
Hendricks is the co-founder and chair of ABC Supply, one of the largest wholesale distributors of roofing, siding and windows in the country. Under Hendricks’ leadership, the company made its two largest acquisitions in its history: rival Bradco in 2010 and building materials distributor L&W Supply in 2016.
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2. Judy Love
Net worth: $11.6 billion
Source of wealth: Gas stations
Love is the woman behind the truck stop and convenience store chain Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores, which now has more than 640 stores in 42 states. She co-founded the company with her late husband, Tom and now co-owns it with her four children. Love’s has estimated revenues of $24 billion.
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3. Judy Faulkner
Net worth: $7.6 billion
Source of wealth: Healthcare software
A computer programmer by trade, Faulkner founded medical record software provider Epic Systems in 1979. The software is now used by many top medical centers, including Johns Hopkins and the Mayo Clinic. Faulkner, who is 80, still serves as Epic’s CEO. The company recorded $4.9 billion in sales in 2023.
4. Thai Lee
Net worth: $6.8 billion
Source of wealth: IT provider
Lee and her ex-husband purchased the pre-cursor for her current company, SHI International, for less than $1 million in 1989. The IT provider now has 15,000 customers, including Boeing and AT&T and boasts $14 billion in sales. Lee serves as CEO and owns 60% of the company.
5. Elizabeth Uihlein
Net worth: $6.8 billion
Source of wealth: Packaging materials
Uihlein is the co-founder and president of Uline, a major distributor of shipping, packaging and industrial supplies across North America. The company has 8,500 employees and an estimated revenue of $8 billion.
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6. Lynda Resnick
Net worth: $5.6 billion
Source of wealth: Agriculture
Along with her husband Stewart, Lynda is the co-founder and co-owner of the Wonderful Company, one of the largest farming operations in America. Their products include almonds, oranges, grapefruits and more.
7. Marian Ilitch
Net worth: $4.6 billion
Source of wealth: Little Caesars Pizza
The dough business has led to a lot of dough for Ilitch, who co-founded Little Caesars Pizza with her husband Michael (now deceased) in 1959. The pizza chain brings in more than $5 billion annually. Adding to her fortune, Ilitch also owns the Detroit Red Wings NHL team and the MotorCity Casino Hotel.
8. Gail Miller
Net worth: $4.4 billion
Source of wealth: Car dealerships
Miller made the bulk of her fortune when she sold the auto dealership group she co-founded with her husband Larry (now deceased) to Asbury Automotive in 2021 for $3.2 billion. Currently, Miller owns the Larry H. Miller Group, which has interests in real estate, healthcare, finance and entertainment businesses.
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9. Johnelle Hunt
Net worth: $4.2 billion
Source of wealth: Trucking
Hunt and her husband J.B. (now deceased) started J.B. Hunt Transport Services with five trucks and seven trailers. The company went public in 1983 and is now one of the biggest transportation companies in the U.S., boasting $12.8 billion in sales. Hunt owns an 18% stake.
10. Eren Ozmen
Net worth: $3.7 billion
Source of wealth: Aerospace
Ozmen and her husband purchased the private aerospace and defense company Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) in 1994 when it had just 20 employees. SNC’s spinoff company, Sierra Space, now has a $5.3 billion valuation and a contract with NASA. Ozmen serves as SNC’s chairwoman and president and is the majority owner.
Photo disclaimer: Photos are for representational purposes only.
All net worth data is sourced from Forbes and is accurate as of May 31, 2024.
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