Rank #1209
William Wrigley Jr
Net worth $3.6B
Chewing gum · United States
- Born
- Nov 01, 1963
- Age
- 62
- Source
- Chewing gum
- Residence
- North Palm Beach, Florida
- Citizenship
- United States
- Marital status
- Divorced
- Children
- 4
- Education
- Bachelor of Arts/Science, Duke University
Net worth over time
Biography
- William "Beau" Wrigley Jr. is an heir to the Wrigley's chewing gum fortune.
- In 1999, he took over the business his great-grandfather started in 1891.
- Wrigley Jr., who was CEO, expanded the company in 2005 by purchasing Altoids and Life Savers from Kraft Foods for $1.46 billion.
- In 2008, he sold the Chicago-based firm to candy giant Mars Inc. for $23 billion in cash.
- Wrigley became CEO of cannabis product-maker Parallel in 2018.
- A 2021 SPAC deal to take Parallel public fell through and Wrigley stepped down as CEO. The company is now embroiled in lawsuits waged by investors.
- Wrigley's great grandfather originally sold baking soda. He switched businesses after realizing that the chewing gum he gave away was much more popular.
- His grandfather P.K. Wrigley owned the Chicago Cubs, but the family had to sell the baseball team in 1981 in order to pay the estate taxes after his death.