Who’s the richest person in Illinois? According to Forbes, it’s no longer Ken Griffin

A 36-year-old heir of the Walton family has replaced billionaire hedge fund manager Ken Griffin as Illinois’ wealthiest person.

While still among the wealthiest people in the world — in fact, the 41st richest as of June 20 — Griffin packed up and moved the headquarters of his massive Citadel hedge fund to Miami last year.

With Forbes magazine’s recent release of 2023’s Richest Person in Every State, there’s a new claimant to the No. 1 spot: Lukas Walton, the grandson of Walmart founder Sam Walton.

Here’s what to know about Walton and some of Illinois’ other billionaires, including Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who holds a $3.6 billion fortune despite his public servant status.

Lukas Walton

Resident Chicagoan Lukas Walton inherited his fortune when his father, John Walton, died in a plane crash in 2005.

As an heir to his father’s fortune, estimated by Forbes at about $18 billion before his death, Lukas Walton reportedly inherited one-third of it. His mother Christy received one-sixth.

Today, Lukas Walton owns stakes in Walmart, First Solar and Arvest Bank, though he does not work for those companies. According to his Forbes profile, the 36-year-old has donated at least $150 million to his family’s namesake foundation, where he serves as chairperson on the environment program committee.

Lukas Walton’s wealth has grown significantly since 2020, when it stood at $18.4 billion before taking a dive and then rebounding. It now stands at almost $23 billion, according to Forbes. As of June 20, he was the 72nd richest person on the planet.

J.B. Pritzker

Democratic Illinois Gov. Pritzker, who won a second term against Republican challenger Sen. Darren Bailey last year, holds a net worth of roughly $3.6 billion, according to Forbes magazine. That’s where it stood in 2022, but Pritzker’s wealth has grown since 2019, when it stood at $3.2 billion.

He ranked at No. 817 on Forbes’ list of richest people on the planet.

According to his profile by Forbes magazine, the governor is an heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune, and he ran a private equity firm with his brother until March 2017.

It was his uncle, Jay Pritzker, who founded Hyatt Hotels, and his father, Donald, who further developed and managed the chain of luxury hotels.

Pritzker’s sister Penny is also a billionaire and notably served former President Barack Obama’s secretary of commerce from 2013 to 2017.

As a philanthropist, J.B. Pritzker’s charity supports nonprofits in Chicago, including the Ounce of Prevention Fund, targeted at early-childhood education efforts.

Who else made Forbes’ list?

Investors, business executives, real estate tycoons and even the creator of Beanie Babies number among the other millionaires and billionaires who make their homes in Illinois.

Here’s a look at who made the Forbes list this year:

• Byron Trott - Trott, 64, lives in Winnetka. He is the co-CEO of the investment bank BDT and MSD Partners. Trott’s net worth is valued at roughly $2.5 billion.

• Eric Lefkofsky - Lefkofsky made his fortune by co-founding Groupon in 2008. The 53-year-old resides in Glencoe, and his net worth is valued at $4.2 billion.

• Jennifer Pritzker - Pritzker, 72, is one of the 11 billionaire heirs of the Chicago-based Pritzker clan, according to Forbes. She is also the only known transgender billionaire in the world. Her net worth is valued at about $2 billion.

• Jerry Reinsdorf - Reinsdorf, with a net worth valued at about $4 billion, made a fortune in sports buying up Chicago teams in the 1980s, according to Forbes. The 87-year-old lives in Chicago.

• Joe Mansueto - Mansueto is the chairman and CEO of Morningstar, an investment research firm. In 2018, the Chicagoan bought the Wrigley Building for $255 million. At 66 years old, his net worth is valued by Forbes at $4.6 billion.

• Joseph Grendys - Grendys, 61, runs Koch Foods. The poultry processor slaughters, ships and sells chicken to Walmart and Burger King, among others. With a net worth valued at about $3 billion, Grendys lives in Chicago.

• Mark Walter - Walter, 66, is the CEO of the Guggenheim Partners investments firm, which manages more than $300 billion in assets. He has stakes in brands like Beyond Meat and Carvana. He owns the Los Angeles Dodgers along with Magic Johnson and others. The Chicagoan’s net worth is valued at $5.3 billion.

• Matt Hulsizer - Hulsizer co-founded options trading firm PEAK6 Investments with his now-wife Jenny Just. The 53-year-old lives in Chicago and has a net worth valued at $1.5 billion.

• Neil Bluhm - With a net worth of $6 billion, the real estate tycoon owns big-name Chicago properties like 900 North Michigan and the Ritz Carlton. The 85-year-old Chicagoan also owns minority stakes in the Chicago Bulls and the White Sox.

• Patrick Ryan - Ryan is the CEO and founder of a Chicago-based wholesale brokerage and specialty insurance firm. Ryan’s net worth is valued at $8 billion. The 86-year-old lives in Winnetka.

• Penny Pritzker - Another of the billionaire heirs in the Pritzker family, Penny Pritzker served in the Obama administration as the former president’s commerce secretary. At 64 years old, the Chicagoan’s net worth is valued at more than $3 billion.

• Sam Zell - Zell died in May at 81 years old. Before his death, his net worth was valued at $5.2 billion. He made his fortune as a businessman engaged in real estate investments. The son of Polish refugees, Zell’s family narrowly escaped the invasion of the country by the Nazis in 1939.

• Sheldon Lavin - Lavin owns OSI group, which started out as the original hamburger supplier of McDonalds and still provides most of the company’s meat products worldwide. It also produces plant-based burgers for Impossible Foods. Lavin’s net worth is valued at roughly $3 billion. The 91-year-old lives in Highland Park.

• Steven Sarowitz - Sarowitz founded the online payroll firm Paylocity in the late 90s. A member of the Sierra Club, Lavin is passionate about environmental issues, according to Forbes. At 57-years-old, Lavin has a net worth valued at $2.6 billion. He lives in Highland Park.

• Tom Pritzker - Tom Pritzker, with a net worth valued at $5.5 billion, is another of the Pritzker clan. The 73-year-old serves as the executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels.

• Ty Warner - As the creator of the popular toy Beanie Babies, Warner’s net worth is valued at $6 billion. The 78-year-old lives in Oak Brook.