24. Ronald Wanek
Industry: Ashley Furniture Industries
Net Worth: $6.9 billion*
As you can see from IKEA, the furniture business, especially if you sell affordable, easy-to-assemble products, can be quite lucrative. Ronald G. Wanek is another billionaire who made his fortune from the furniture industry, as he is the founder of Ashley Furniture Industries, one of the largest furniture companies in America. Wanek also serves as chairman of the company.
Ronald Wanek @InsideAFI / Twitter.com
The eighty-year-old has kept the business in the family, and his son, Todd, has a net worth of $4.3 billion. While his father is the chairman and founder, Todd is the CEO of the company, a position he assumed in 2002.