Louis Gonda

Age: 49

Net Worth: $535 million

Source of Wealth: Aircraft leasing

Residence: Beverly Hills

The son of a Hungarian father, Louis Gonda was born in Venezuela before the family came to the United States and settled in Los Angeles in the 1960s.

Gonda and his friend, Steven Ferencz Udvar-Hazy, each invested $50,000 to co-found International Lease Financial Corp. in 1973. Their partnership was later joined by Gonda’s father, Leslie, who also contributed $50,000.

The Century City-based firm, which purchases commercial aircraft and leases them to airlines, has grown to become one of the world’s largest aircraft lessors. The company went public in 1983 and was purchased by American International Group in 1990.

Gonda remains a board member at ILFC, but much of his recent business activity has been focused on his investing firm, Lexington Holdings Group.

Gonda recently purchased the 56,000-square-foot building at 9350 Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills for $8.65 million. The building will become the new headquarters for Lexington Holdings.

Douglas Young