Pandemic be damned

14 Dallas-Fort Worth billionaires bank spots on Forbes' 2020 list of richest Americans

Mark Cuban's wealth increased this year.

Photo courtesy of Dallas Mavericks

Walmart heiress Alice Walton of Fort Worth has retained her status as the richest Texan and America’s richest woman in 2020, with a net worth estimated this year at $62.3 billion. That compares with $51.4 billion in 2019.

This, according to the 2020 edition of the Forbes 400, which ranks the 400 richest Americans and was released September 8. (See their methodology here.)

Walton moved up from No. 11 last year to No. 10 this year in the Forbes ranking of the richest Americans.

"Pandemic be damned: America’s 400 richest are worth a record $3.2 trillion, up $240 billion from a year ago, aided by a stock market that has defied the virus," Forbes writes.

From 2019 to 2020, Walton’s net worth jumped by $10.9 billion. To give you an idea of how much money that is, the size of the economy in Africa’s Republic of Congo totaled $10.8 billion in 2019. Walton’s entire net worth is slightly more than the size of the Costa Rican economy (nearly $61.8 billion in 2019).

All around Dallas-Fort Worth, the richest-of-the-rich list looks similar to recent years. Here's how local billionaires rank nationally in 2020 and how their wealth has fared:

Dallas-Fort Worth:

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones — $8.6 billion, No. 56. Last year: $8.6 billion.
Dallas banker and real estate investor Andy Beal — $7.6 billion, No. 67. Last year: $9.8 billion.
Fort Worth oil and gas heir Robert Bass — $4.8 billion, No. 139. Last year: $4.9 billion.
Dallas oil and gas heir Ray Lee Hunt — $4.6 billion, No. 154. Last year: $5.2 billion.
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban — $4.2 billion, No. 177. Last year: $4.1 billion.
Margot Birmingham Perot, widow of Dallas tech entrepreneur Ross Perot — $4 billion, No. 186. Last year: $4.2 billion.
Fort Worth private equity titan David Bonderman — $4 billion, No. 186. Last year: $3.7 billion.
Omni Hotels and Gold’s Gym king Robert Rowling of Dallas — $3.9 billion, No. 197. Last year: $5.5 billion.
Oil and gas chief Trevor Rees-Jones of Dallas — $3.5 billion, No. 228. Last year: $3.7 billion.
Dallas pipeline executive Kelcy Warren — $2.8 billion, No. 299. Last year: $4.3 billion.
Dallas real estate honcho H. Ross Perot Jr. — $2.5 billion, No. 339. Last year: $2.2 billion.
Fort Worth oil heir Sid Bass — $2.3 billion, No. 359. Last year: $3.1 billion.
Dallas banker Gerald Ford — $2.1 billion, No. 391. Last year: $2.3 billion.

Here’s the regional breakdown for Texas’ remaining Forbes 400 billionaires.

Austin:

Michael Dell, tech magnate — $35.6 billion, No. 18. Last year: $32.3 billion.
Robert Smith, private equity entrepreneur — $6.2 billion, No. 125. Last year: $5 billion.
Bert “Tito” Beveridge, vodka tycoon — $4.6 billion, No. 154. Last year: $4.2 billion.
Thai Lee, tech entrepreneur — $3.1 billion, No. 268. Last year: $3 billion.
Joe Liemandt, software entrepreneur — $3 billion, No. 278. Last year: $3 billion.
John Paul DeJoria, hair care and tequila mogul — $2.7 billion, No. 319. Last year: $3.1 billion.
Jim Breyer, venture capitalist — $2.4 billion, No. 353. Last year: $2.5 billion. (Breyer recently relocated from Silicon Valley to Austin).
Brian Sheth, private equity entrepreneur — $2.3 billion, No. 359. Last year: $2.2 billion.

Of note, in just one year, Dell’s net worth soared by $3.3 billion — more than the entire net worth of fellow Austin billionaire Thai Lee. The chairman and CEO of the Round Rock-based tech company that bears his name is Austin's richest resident.

Houston:

Houston pipeline mogul Richard Kinder — $6.2 billion, No. 103. Last year: $7.5 billion.
Pipeline heirs Dannine Avara, Scott Duncan, Milane Frantz, and Randa Duncan Williams — $4.8 billion each, No. 139. Last year: $6.3 billion.
Houston Rockets owner and restaurant kingpin Tilman Fertitta — $4.1 billion, No. 181. Last year: $4.9 billion.
Toyota titan Dan Friedkin of Houston — $4.1 billion, No. 181. Last year: $4 billion.
Houston Texans co-founder Janice McNair — $3.9 billion, No. 197. Last year: $4 billion.
Houston energy executive Jeffery Hildebrand — $3.6 billion, No. 222. Last year: $3.8 billion.
Former hedge fund manager John Arnold of Houston — $3.3 billion, No. 249. Last year: $3.3 billion.

Elsewhere in Texas:

Walmart heiress Ann Walton Kroenke — $8.4 billion, No. 58. Last year: $7.5 billion.
Real estate, sports, and entertainment big shot Stan Kroenke — $8.3 billion, No. 59. Last year: $9.7 billion. (The Kroenkes live on a massive ranch near the North Texas town of Vernon.)
Investor and former grocery distributor Drayton McLane Jr. of Temple — $2.8 billion, No. 299. Last year: $2.6 billion. McLane is former owner of the Houston Astros.
Hearing-aid mogul Bill Austin of Brownsville — $2.2 billion, No. 378. Last year: $2.4 billion.

rankings forbes lists

Pestilence News

New invasive pest in Texas is destroying grasses and pasture

TAMU

Mealyworm is small but damaging.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has issued an urgent alert to farmers to inspect their pastures for a newly detected and highly damaging pest: the pasture mealybug (Helicococcus summervillei).

According to a release from the Department of Agriculture (TDA), this invasive species, never before reported in North America, has been confirmed in multiple Texas counties and is already causing significant damage to pasture acreage across the southeast portion of the state.

The pasture mealybug causes “pasture dieback,” leaving expanding patches of yellowing, weakened, and ultimately dead turf.

This pest was first detected in Australia in 1928; its first detection in the Western Hemisphere occurred in the Caribbean between 2019 and 2020.

The TDA is working with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to coordinate a rapid response and protect Texas producers.

Mealybug history
Although the mealybug is just now being spotted, researchers suspect it may have been introduced before 2022.

Since mid-April 2025, southern Texas pasture and hay producers have been reporting problems in their fields. These fields show grass patches becoming brown or necrotic, or patches that are completely dead. Originally, it was presumed that symptoms were caused by another mealybug called the Rhodes grass mealybug, which has been reported in the U.S. since 1942. However, further investigations confirm that it's this new pasture mealybug (Heliococcus summervillei).

It has devastated millions of acres of grazing land in Australia and has since spread globally. Its rapid reproduction, hidden soil-level feeding, and broad host range make it a significant threat to pasture health and livestock operations.

MealybugTAMU

Adult females are approximately 2-5 mm long, covered in a white, waxy coating. They are capable of producing nearly 100 offspring within 24 hours, resulting in several generations per season. While adult females can live for up to 100 days, most damage is inflicted by the youngest nymphs, which feed on plant sap and inject toxic saliva that causes grass to yellow, weaken, and die.

“This is a completely new pest to our continent, and Texas is once again on the front lines,” Commissioner Miller says. “If the pasture mealybug spreads across Texas grazing lands like it has in eastern Australia, it could cost Texas agriculture dearly in lost productivity and reduced livestock capacity. TDA is working hand-in-hand with federal and university partners to respond swiftly and protect our producers from this unprecedented threat.”

Houston has a problem
The estimated impact area currently covers 20 counties, primarily in the Houston area, including: Cameron, Hidalgo, Willacy, Refugio, Calhoun, Victoria, Goliad, Dewitt, Lavaca, Fayette, Jackson, Matagorda, Brazoria, Galveston, Wharton, Colorado, Austin, Washington, Burleson, Brazos, and Robertson. AgriLife entomologists have submitted a formal Pest Incident Worksheet documenting significant damage to pastures and hayfields in Victoria County.

Research trials are underway to determine the best integrated pest management options. Currently, there is no known effective labeled insecticide for pasture mealybug.

Affected plants include: Bermudagrass, Bahia grass, Johnsongrass, hay grazer (sorghum–sudangrass), St. Augustine grass, various bluestem species, and other tropical or subtropical grasses. Damage can occur in leaves, stems, and roots.

Symptoms:

Yellowing and discoloration of leaves within a week of infestation
Purpling or reddening of foliage
Stunted growth and drought stress despite rainfall
Poorly developed root systems
Dieback starting at leaf tips and progressing downward
Premature aging, making plants more vulnerable to pathogens

How to spot it

Scout regularly for mealybugs on grass leaves, stems, soil surface, leaf litter, and under cow patties
Focus on unmanaged areas such as fence lines, ungrazed patches, and roadsides
Look for fluffy, white, waxy, or “fuzzy” insects on blades and stems
If plants appear unhealthy and insects match this description, investigate further

“Early identification is critical, and we need every producer’s eyes on the ground,” Commissioner Miller added. “We are working diligently with our federal and state partners to determine how to best combat this novel threat and stop it in its tracks.”

If you observe suspicious symptoms or insects matching the descriptions above, contact TDA at 1-800-TELL-TDA immediately.

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