NEW ORLEANS — Two notable Louisiana business owners were recognized on Forbes billionaires list of "The Richest People in the World" in 2024.
Owner of the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans, Gayle Benson has made the Forbes' billionaires list for the second year in a row.
The 77-year-old billionaire is ranked as the 477th richest person in the world. Her net worth is $6.1 billion compared to last year's $4.7 billion net worth.
Benson used to be an interior designer in the 1970s and got into the sports industry in 2010 when she founded a horse racing company, GMB Racing, our partners reported.
In 2018, after the passing of her husband Tom Benson, she inherited the Saints and the Pelicans. Benson ranks No.9 as one of the richest owners in the NFL, coming before Denis York with the San Francisco 49ers at $5.8 billion and after Baltimore Ravens' owner Steve Bisciotti with $7.2 billion.
Coming out of Baton Rouge, Todd Graves, Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers founder, made his first appearance on the list.
Graves, 52, made the list with a net worth of $9.1 billion and ranks him as the 270th richest person in the world, according to Forbes.
In 2013, Graves was named the richest person in Louisiana by Bloomberg. His net worth was $7.6 billion at the time.
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