Rank #490
Dennis Washington
Net worth $7.7B
Construction, mining · United States
- Born
- Jul 27, 1934
- Age
- 91
- Source
- Construction, mining
- Residence
- Missoula, Montana
- Citizenship
- United States
- Marital status
- Married
- Children
- 2
- Education
- Diploma, High School
Net worth over time
Biography
- Dennis Washington parlayed an early love of machinery into a diversified business group called Washington Companies.
- Washington owns copper mining, marine transportation and heavy equipment businesses.
- After working for his uncle's construction business, he struck out on his own with a $30,000 loan to start Washington Construction.
- Montana's richest person, Washington also has an investment in Seaspan Corp., cofounded by son Kyle, which now operates more than 220 container ships.
- Washington got polio at age 8 and spent 8 months in a hospital and rehab clinic. He then spent time in government housing and shined shoes for pocket money.
- The day after high school graduation, in 1952, Washington headed to Alaska where he started out greasing equipment, then became a heavy-crane operator.