Bennett Dorrance has more than one reason to say, "M’m! M’m! Good!" As the heir to the Campbell Soup Company, he is on the list of the list of The World's Billionaires and the 400 Richest Americans for 2007 and the wealthiest person in Arizona. Forbes.com produces those lists each year, and in 2007 Arizona had three individuals who can say they are one of the wealthiest people in America. In 2002, there were six Arizonans on the 400 Richest Americans list, but William Levine, co-founder of Outdoor Systems. and Rex Maughan, Chairman and CEO of Forever Living Products, have been pushed down the list a bit as others have risen. Neither Levine or Maughan appear on the most recent list of billionaires.
In 2006 we had four people on the 400 Richest Americans list. Arturo Moreno was number 354 with a net worth of just over $1 billion. In 2007 he got pushed off the top 400 list. He is still #799 on the world's billionaire list. He is 59 years old and married. He made his fortune working in a billboard and outdoor advertising business called Outdoor Systems. The company has since been sold. Mr. Moreno is a Vietnam veteran. He is also the majority owner of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim baseball team and a part-owner of the Phoenix Suns.
2007 Wealthiest Arizona Residents
It is interesting to note that none of the wealthiest people on the Arizona list are women. There haven't been any women from Arizona since Forbes started producing the list. All of Arizona's wealthiest people made their money in the Phoenix area and continue to live in greater Phoenix.
Bennett Dorrance
Ranked at 188 in America and 432 in the world, Bennett Dorrance has been on the wealthiest Americans list since it began in 1996. Mr. Dorrance is the grandson of Joseph Campbell, of the Campbell Soup Company. It was originally named the Joseph A. Campbell Preserve Company. Dr. John Dorrance, Joseph Campbell's nephew, joined the company and invented condensed soup in 1897. Today there are many brand names that belong to the company, including Pepperidge Farm, V-8, Franco-American and Godiva Chocolates. Mr. Dorrance's net worth comes in at about $2.2 billion this year. He is 58, married, and lives in Paradise Valley.
John Sperling
John Sperling is ranked at 361 out of the 400 richest people in America, and 799 on the world's billionaire list with about $1.4 billion in net worth. His is twice divorced (maybe third time's the charm?) and 86 years old. He made his fortune with the Apollo Group. What's that, you say? Well, you might know this company by its more familiar local name:
University of Phoenix. John Sperling founded this University for working adults in 1973 which is now the largest private university system in the U.S. with both online and traditional programs.
Peter Sperling
Peter Sperling is John Sperling's son. He is ranked at 317, with about $1.5 billion net worth. That also put him at 799 on the billionaire's list when it was last published. Some of his wealth has been inherited. He has served in various officer positions at the Apollo Group and is on the Board of Directors. He got his MBA from University of Phoenix--good choice! Mr. Sperling is 47 and married. He lives in Paradise Valley.
