8. Cox (Estimated family net worth: $41 billion)
In 1898, James M. Cox bought the Dayton Evening News. That is how the Cox empire started its money roll. Today, James’s grandchildren are taking over the family business. And the Cox’s $41 billion family fortune is divided among five of them. The leading man of the family company is Jim Kennedy (second man from the right on the picture)
The Cox owns and runs Cox Enterprises which includes Cox Communications and Cox Media Group. As James started it from newspaper publishing only, the family business has expanded to radio and cable TV.
That is not all. Besides media business, the Cox family also takes on the automotive market challenge. Eleven year ago, the family made a $4-billion acquisition of DealerTrack which focuses in making software for car dealers.
The family’s interest in automotive world has started even way before the acquisition. Under Cox Enterprises, they run a website for car trading called AutoTrader.com.
