Donald Bren

Net Worth = $15 Billion

I'm about to tell you how he got to where he is today

Following college at University of Washington and a stint in the Marine Corps, Donald went back to his roots in California.

In 1958, he took out a bank loan of $10,000 (~$92,000 today), and founded the Bren Company.

Using that money, he built his first house in Newport Beach.

Over the years, Bren Company would build many houses in the Newport Beach area.

Interestingly enough, while doing that, he went on to also found Mission Viejo Company in 1963.

First order of action was to buy up 10,000 acres of land and develop it.

He ran MVC from 1963 to 1967 as president, where they designed a master planned community.

Then in 1970, International Paper Co. went and bought the Bren Company for $34 million.

Right after that, the market took a tumble, and home prices crashed across California.

Bren was able to buy back his old company only 2 years later for just $22 million!

Talk about a good deal.

As he continued to grow his empire, like all great men, he set his sights on even more.

The Irvine Ranch, owned by the Irvine family at the time, was prime real estate.

At 93,000 acres, with 9 miles of coastline along the Pacific, and 20% of Orange county - Bren knew he had to get his hands on it.

So in 1977, he purchased a stake in it, totaling $337.4 million.

All in all, there were 6 people who went in on this deal.

Not to be stopped, Donald Bren slowly bought them out one by one.

By 1996, he was the sole owner.

This land is home to some of the most sought after property in all of California.

On it, there sits villages, restaurants, office space, schools, shopping and more, and is home to about 250,000 residents.

Bren is getting up there in age these days.

However, his influence and touch will be felt in Southern California for generations to come.

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