Net Worth:

$2.0 billion +18%

Last Year:

$1.7 billion

Age:

83

Residence:

Los Angeles

Source of Wealth: Investments

The Money:

Majority of wealth is held in Berkshire Hathaway stock. Owns more than 15,000 shares accounting for $1.7 billion. Stock has increased by $20,000 per share over the past 12 months reaping a $300 million paper gain.

Buzz:

The investor and longtime friend of Warren Buffett serves as vice chairman of Berkshire. He donates shares occasionally to education institutions, most recently $9.2 million in stock to private Harvard-Westlake School for construction of a science wing. Past donations also include $43.5 million in stock to Stanford University to help construct graduate student residences and $21 million to fund a wing at Huntington Library in Pasadena. Also is chairman and chief executive at Wesco Financial (80 percent Berkshire owned), which has seen stock price increase. Sits on the board of Costco. Known for demanding analysis of investments; his philosophy which essentially calls for applying systemically acquired wisdom to investment decisions was the subject of a book published last year.