131. *Grupo Ferrovial (122)
Del Pino/ Madrid, Spain
Industry: Construction
Revenues: $3.756
Employees: 23,522
www.ferrovial.com
One of Spain’s largest engineering and construction firms; also provides housing and community development, toll road and car park management, and environmental and telecommunications services. Rafael del Pino y Moreno, who founded company in 1952, and sons own 57%. Rafael announced retirement in 2000; son Rafael del Pino y Calvo-Sotelo succeeds him.
132. Otsuka Pharmaceutical (123)
Otsuka/Tokyo, Japan
Industry: Pharmaceuticals, drinks
Revenues: $3.748 billion
www.otsuka.co.jp
Founder Masatoshi Otsuka (died April 2000) built a 17-employee factory into a health care empire. Eldest son Akhiko Otsuka, 63, succeeded him, stepped down as CEO 1998, still on board. Family owns about 20%, plans to keep company private. Currently developing a schizophrenia drug with Bristol-Myers Squibb.
133. *American Financial Group (113)
Lindner/Cincinnati
Industry: Insurance, investments
Founded: 1959
Revenues: $3.741 billion
Employees: 7,100
www.amfnl.com
Carl Lindner and brothers opened ice cream store 1940, built it into 22-store United Dairy Farmers chain. Launched American Financial with small savings and loans 1959; added insurance 1971, Chiquita Brands early 1970s. Now a holding company for diverse family investments. Lindner family owns almost 45%. Carl, 84, still CEO; his three sons, Carl III, 49, Craig, 48, and Keith, 43, are co-presidents.
134. *Host Marriott (120)
Marriott/Bethesda, Md.
Industry: Hotels and gaming
Founded: 1927
Revenues: $3.696 billion
Employees: 189
www.hostmarriott.com
Smaller luxury hotels arm of empire launched by J. Willard Marriott in 1927 with D.C. root beer stand. Owns 120 luxury Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels, most managed by larger sister company Marriott International (see #69 above). Headed by founder’s son Richard, 64; his older brother John runs Marriott International, which manages most Host Marriott properties.
135. *Grupo Bimbo S.A. (125)
Servitje/Mexico City, Mexico
Industry: Bread, tortillas
Founded: 1945
Revenues: $3.687 billion
Employees: 71,000
www.gibsa.com.mx
Mexico’s leading bread maker and one of world’s top bakers as well, offering more than 3,500 products including cookies and tortillas. Majority-owned by Servitje family, which founded it in 1945 and named it for a bear in the company logo.
136. *Dassault Aviation (134)
Dassault/Paris, France
Industry: Aviation
Founded: 1945
Revenues: $3.606 billion
Employees: 12,022
www.dassault-aviation.fr
Aviation giant, founded 1945, specializes in Falcon line of luxury business jets. Also makes Mirage and Rafale jet fighters. Founding Dassault family owns 49.9% of company; French defense group Aerospatiale Matra, a member of new Franco-German aerospace group EADS, owns 46%. CEO Serge Dassault retired on 75th birthday in 2000, survived corruption scandal.
137. Barilla G & R Fratelli S.p.A. (190)
Barilla/Parma, Italy
Industry: Pasta
Founded: 1877
Revenues: $3.602 billion
Employees: 7,000
www.barilla.it
World’s leading pasta producer: more than 30 varieties sold in some 100 countries. Also makes sauces (#1 in Italy), bread, and crackers. Formed as a pasta and bread shop in 1877. Fourth generation of founding family (including the three Barilla brothers—Paulo, Luca and Guido—who run company) own 85%.
138. Milliken & Co. (114)
Milliken/Spartanburg, S.C.
Industry: Textiles
Founded: 1865
Revenues: $3.6 billion
Employees: 14,000
www.milliken.com
Deering Milliken, small woolen fabrics firm in Portland, Maine, started by William Deerfield and Seth Milliken, who later bought out his partner. Company moved to New York 1868, to South Carolina 1884. Now one of world’s largest textile manufacturers, with 65 fabric and chemicals plants worldwide. Grandson Roger Milliken, now 87, has led company since 1947; he and brother Gerrish own it.
139. *Acciona (150)
Entrecanales/Madrid, Spain
Industry: Construction
Revenues: $3.579 billion
Employees: 20,698
www.acciona.es
One of Spain’s largest international contractors. Also operates cogeneration plants and wind-power parks in Spain and hydroelectric projects internationally. Entrecanales family holds 59% stake and top posts.
140. *Jabil Circuit (127)
Morean/St. Petersburg, Fla.
Industry: Electronics
Founded: 1966
Revenues: $3.546 billion
Employees: 20,000
www.jabil.com
Computer equipment maker was founded in suburban Detroit garage. Founder’s son William Morean, now 48, swept floors as boy, returned 1977 at age 22 to run one-client company upon father’s retirement. He became CEO 1988, now chairman since 2000. Company now one of nation’s top makers of printed circuit boards and other electrical components. Morean family owns nearly 30%.
141. *Grupo Modelo (128)
Diez Fernandez/Mexico City, Mexico
Industry: Beer
Founded: 1925
Revenues: $3.459 billion
Employees: 48,474
www.gmodelo.com.mx
Mexico’s largest brewery, with more than 60% of country’s market share and exports to more than 150 countries. Founded in 1925 by Pablo Diez Fernandez and grew by acquiring regional brewers. Heiress and vice chair Maria Asuncion Aramburuzabala and family own major stake; majority control owned by U.S. Busch family’s Anheuser-Busch.
142. *Groep Colruyt (NR)
Colruyt/Halle, Belgium
Industry: Food stores
Founded: 1925
Revenues: $3.391 billion
Employees: 12,402
www.colruyt.be
Belgian baker Franz Colruyt set up wholesale coffee importing business 1925, established as food wholesaler 1950. Son Jo opened first supermarkets 1964; now 160 discount food stores in Belgium and France, also gas stations. Jef Colruyt is current chairman.
143. ContiGroup Cos. (130)
Fribourg/New York
Industry: Grain, feed, food processing
Founded: 1813
Revenues: $3.3 billion
Employees: 14,500
www.contigroup.com
Major global agribusiness firm (formerly Continental Grain) founded in Belgium and still owned by founding Fribourg family but no longer in grain business. Now nation’s #2 cattle and pork producer; has offices in ten countries. Longtime CEO Michel Fribourg stepped down 1994 to make room for second-eldest son Paul (founder’s great-great-great-grandson), now 49.
144. Hearst (112)
Hearst/New York
Industry: Media
Founded: 1887
Revenues: $3.3 billion
Employees: 17,170
www.hearstcorp.com
Mining heir William Randolph Hearst (1863-1951) took over San Francisco Examiner 1887, New York Journal 1895, aimed at mass audiences, built nation’s then-largest newspaper chain. Last surviving son, Randolph, chairman 1973-1996, succeeded by nephew George R. Hearst, now 76. Family still controls empire of 12 dailies (including Houston Chronicle), 14 weeklies, 16 magazines (Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Town & Country), TV, cable programming (ESPN, Lifetime).
145. *Sun Hung Kai Properties (170)
Kwok/ Hong Kong, China
Industry: Real estate
Revenues: $3.253 billion
Employees: 18,000
www.shkp.com.hk
Brothers Walter, Thomas and Raymond Kwok, all in their 40s, inherited real estate developer Sun Hung Kai Properties upon their father’s death in 1990 and have since propelled it into one of Hong Kong’s prime real estate players: residential projects, shopping centers, office and industrial properties, and parking lots. Also invests in real estate projects in mainland China.
146. Bekaert Group (NR)
Bekaert/Kortrijk, Belgium
Industry: Metal technologies
Founded: 1880
Revenues: $3.22 billion
Employees: 16,836
www.bekaert.com
Small manufacturing and trading company formed by Leo Leander Baekert in 1880 to produce barbed wire for farmers is now world leader in advanced metal transformation and coating technologies, with more than 95 plants in 29 countries.
147. *Maple Leaf Foods (NR)
McCain/Toronto, Canada
Industry: Food processor
Revenues: $3.219 billion
Employees: 18,000
www.mapleleaf.com
Produces fresh and processed pork and poultry products for retailers and wholesalers under Maple Leaf, Hygrade and Shopsy’s brands. Also owns nearly 85% of leading bakery business, Canada Bread. Branch of McCain family (see McCain Foods, #122 above) owns more than 30% of voting stock; a teachers’ pension fund holds nearly 40%. G. Wallace McCain is chairman, Michael McCain president.
148. Raley’s Inc. (132)
Teel/W. Sacramento, Calif.
Industry: Food and drug stores
Founded: 1935
Revenues: $3.2 billion
Employees: 17,000
www.raleys.com
Arkansan Thomas P. Raley, 13th of 14 children, quit job as Safeway store manager in California (1935) to open his own grocery in Placerville. Introduced drive-in markets, pre-packaged meats, side-by-side drug and grocery stores, etc. Today 150 supermarkets. Founder’s only child, Joyce, worked in store as teen, married co-worker Jim Teel, returned 1985, took over with husband after father’s death (1991). Joyce, 72, and Jim are now co-chairmen; Teels’ son, four daughters and sons-in-law also active.
149. *Neiman Marcus Group Inc. (138)
Smith/Dallas
Industry: Department stores
Founded: 1907
Revenues: $3.098 billion
Employees: 15,100
www.neimanmarcus.com
Legendary Dallas department store chain, known for extravagant special events, one-of-a-kind items, and especially attentive salespeople, founded by Herbert Marcus, his sister Carrie and her husband, Al Neiman. Today operates 37 stores in 20 states, plus two Bergdorf Goodman stores in New York. Founders’ families no longer involved, but family of chairman Richard A. Smith, 78, controls about 13%. Son Robert, 43, and son-in-law Brian Knez, 45, are co-vice chairmen.
150. *New York Times (136)
Sulzberger/New York
Industry: Newspapers
Founded: 1851
Revenues: $3.079 billion
Employees: 12,150
www.nytco.com
Tennessean Adolph Ochs (1858-1935) bought Times 1896, rescued it from New York’s penny-paper wars by making it America’s most respected newspaper. Son-in-law Arthur H. Sulzberger, publisher 1935-1961, made it world’s greatest. Sulzbergers at helm ever since; chairman today (but not CEO) and publisher of Times is founder’s great-grandson Arthur O. Jr., 52. Family owns about 18% of stock, elects two-thirds of directors.
151. *Publicis Groupe (175)
Badinter/Paris, France
Industry: Advertising
Revenues: $3.073 billion
Employees: 20,592
www.publicis.fr
Since purchase of rival Saatchi & Saatchi in 2000, one of world’s largest advertising firms; operations in 80 countries. Elisabeth Badinter, chair of firm’s supervisory board, holds about 35% voting control.
152. *Organizacion Soriana (135)
Martin/Nuevo Leon, Mexico
Industry: Supermarkets
Founded: 1905
Revenues: $3.066 billion
Employees: 37,600
www.soriana.com.mx
Founded 1905 as small family business in Torreon, Mexico, now Mexico’s fourth largest retailer, with more than 100 hypermarkets, mostly in northern Mexico. CEO Ricardo Martin Bringas, 41, has vastly expanded chain since taking control from his brother in 1994. Martin family owns 87%; CEO Ricardo Martí;n Bringas and his cousin, vice chairman Alberto Martin Soberon, run it.
153. *Qualcomm (NR)
Jacobs/San Diego
Industry: Telecommunications
Founded: 1985
Revenues: $3.04 billion
Employees: 8,100
www.qualcomm.com
Company pioneered commercialization of multiple access technology used in wireless communications equipment, especially cell phones. Licenses technology and system software to more than 100 equipment and cell phone makers. Company also sells popular Eudora e-mail software. Founder and CEO Irwin M. Jacobs, 68, likely to be succeeded by son Paul, 40, president of Qualcomm’s Internet and wireless group.
154. *Stryker Corp. (151)
Stryker/Kalamazoo, Mich.
Industry: Medical products
Founded: 1964
Revenues: $3.012 billion
Employees: 14,045
www.strykercorp.com
Dr. Homer Stryker, inventor of walking heel and other medical devices, founded surgical instruments company 1964. Founder’s son and successor Lee died in plane crash 1976. Since then run by non-family CEO John Brown, 68, expanded into medical products. Family still owns nearly one-third; Ronda Stryker, 48, is a director.
155. J.R. Simplot (137)
Simplot/Boise, Idaho
Industry: Food, agribusiness
Founded: 1943
Revenues: $3 billion
Employees: 13,000
www.simplot.com
Founder Jack Simplot, now 94, ran away from home while in eighth grade, sorted potatoes, expanded into vegetables, fertilizer, cattle, food processing. He became a millionaire by 30; supplied dehydrated potatoes and vegetables to U.S. troops in World War II; pioneered frozen French fries in the 1950s. Jack now chairman emeritus; son Scott is chairman, children Gay and Ted also involved. Simplots believed to control all stock.
156. Wegmans Food Markets (141)
Wegman/Rochester, N.Y.
Industry: Food markets
Founded: 1916
Revenues: $3 billion
Employees: 30,000
www.wegmans.com
John Wegman opened fruit and vegetable store in Rochester 1916; brother Walter joined a year later. They opened showplace supermarket with cafeteria 1930. John’s nephew Robert Wegman joined 1933, still on board as chairman and CEO. Company now has 60 superstores, also pet foods, Chase-Pitkin Home & Garden. Robert’s son, Danny, is current president; his two daughters also work there.
157. Kohler (145)
Kohler/Kohler, Wis.
Industry: Plumbing products
Founded: 1873
Revenues: $3 billion
Employees: 25,000
www.kohlerco.com
John M. Kohler set up iron foundry; elder son, Walter J. Kohler, built utopian company town around it; he and son Walter Jr. both became Wisconsin governors. Walter Sr.’s strong-willed half-brother, Herbert, CEO 1940-65, fought unions and relatives. Marketing flair of son Herbert Jr., 64, CEO since 1972, turned prosaic toilets, sinks, tubs into colorful status symbols; now 44 plants worldwide. He and sister Ruth Kohler control most of company.
158. *Metalúrgica Gerdau S.A. (139)
Gerdau/Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Industry: Steel
Revenues: $2.944 billion
Employees: 12,340
Holding company for Gerdau S.A. and its subsidiaries scattered throughout North and South America. Metalúrgica Gerdau grew from nail maker into Brazil’s #1 long-rolled steel producer. Founding Gerdau Johannpeter family controls Metalúrgica Gerdau.
159. *Daily Mail and General Trust (142)
Harmsworth/London, United Kingdom
Industry: Media
Revenues: $2.891 billion
Employees: 19,452
www.dmgt.co.uk
One of world’s largest media holding companies. Best-known for London Daily Mail, but many other newspapers, magazines, broadcast properties. Bought U.S. magazine Institutional Investor 1997. Third-generation media baron Viscount Rothermere IV, 77, and son and likely successor Jonathan Harmsworth, 35, own about 60%.
160. *Kikkoman Corp. (NR)
Mogi/Noda, Japan
Industry: Food products
Revenues: $2.858 billion
Employees: 6,456
www.kikkoman.com
After more than 300 years in business, world’s leading supplier of soy sauce; also many other food products. Still based in village where founders moved firm to escape a 17th-century war. Descendants of founders still control and run company after 17 generations.
161. *Knight Ridder (140)
Knight and Ridder /San Jose, Calif.
Industry: Newspapers, media
Founded: 1892
Revenues: $2.842 billion
Employees: 18,000
www.kri.com
Charles L. Knight bought Akron (Ohio) Beacon-Journal 1903, passed it to sons John and James on his death, 1933. They bought Miami Herald 1937, built respected chain of two dozen major dailies. Herman Ridder (d. 1915) bought German-language Staats-Zeitung 1892 and passed it to three sons, who built chain of 18 small dailies. Knight-Ridder merger, 1974, left Knights in control of 321 daily and 22 non-daily papers, but CEO today is Herman Ridder’s great-grandson P. Anthony Ridder, 63.
162. *Swatch Group (NR)
Hayek/Bern, Switzerland
Industry: Watches
Revenues: $2.835 billion
Employees: 20,327
www.swatchgroup.com
World’s biggest watch company (formerly Societe Suisse de Microelectronique & d’Horlogerie) makes Longines, Blancpain and Omega brands. Chairman Nicolas Hayek’s family controls about 36%; son Nicolas Jr. is CEO.
163. *Hasbro (143)
Hassenfeld/Pawtucket, R.I.
Industry: Toys, home entertainment
Founded: 1923
Revenues: $2.816 billion
Employees: 7,200
www.hasbro.com
America’s #2 toy maker (behind Mattel), run successively by three sets of brothers. Founders Henry and Hillel Hassenfeld were Polish immigrants who evolved from rags into pencil boxes. Second generation: Harold Hassenfeld ran pencil plant, brother Merrill took company into toys during World War II. Merrill’s son and successor Stephen built company into #1 toy maker, died 1989; his brother Alan, 54, succeeded him as CEO, still chairman but turned CEO post over this year to longtime aide Alfred J. Verrecchia, company’s first non-family chief.
164. Globo Group (146)
Marinho/São Paulo, Brazil
Industry: Media
Founded: 1925
Revenues: $2.8 billion
Employees: 24,000
www.globocabo.com
Roberto Inrineu Marinho founded O Globo newspaper 1925, died a month later, succeeded by son Roberto. His sons Roberto, João and José now run Latin America’s largest media group. The group owns 51.5% of publicly traded Net Servicos de Comunicação, Brazil’s largest cable TV operator.
165. Gilbane (153)
Gilbane/Providence, R.I.
Industry: Construction
Founded: 1873
Revenues: $2.771 billion
Employees: 1,700
www.gilbaneco.com
Founded by brothers William and Thomas Gilbane as carpentry and general contracting shop in Providence; now giant real estate developer and contractor (National Air and Space Museum, Terminal V at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport). Still wholly owned by Gilbane family; CEO Paul Choquette, 64, is fourth-generation descendant of founding brothers.
166. Gordon Food Service (154)
Gordon/Grand Rapids, Mich.
Industry: Food distributor
Founded: 1897
Revenues: $2.75 billion
Employees: 5,000
www.gfs.com
Dutch immigrant Isaac VanWestenbrugge founded butter-and-egg distributor. High school senior Ben Gordon joined 1916, married Isaac’s daughter Ruth 1921, later brought in brother Frank; company renamed for them 1942. Now distributes more than 12,000 items to sanitation systems, restaurants, hospitals, schools, etc. Still owned by founder’s descendants. Three Gordons in top management. President Dan is founder’s great-grandson.
167. *Alberto-Culver (158)
Lavin, Bernick/Melrose Park, Ill.
Industry: Personal care products, food
Founded: 1955
Revenues: $2.75 billion
Employees: 5,000
www.alberto.com
Company makes products for hair care (Alberto VO5, TRESemme), skin care (St. Ives Swiss Formula), and personal care (FDS deodorant); sweeteners and seasonings (Molly McButter, Mrs. Dash, SugarTwin); and household items. Lavin and Bernick families control about 40%; Leonard Lavin, 83, and wife Bernice, 77, are chairman and vice chairman; Howard Bernick, 50, is president and CEO; wife Carol, 50, is vice chairman.
168. *Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. (160)
Wrigley, Offield/Chicago
Industry: Food, gum
Founded: 1892
Revenues: $2.746 billion
Employees: 11,250
www.wrigley.com
Philadelphian William Wrigley Jr. (1862-1933) arrived in Chicago 1891 to run branch of father’s soap business; chewing gum given away to attract customers proved more popular than soap, so he switched products. Company vastly expanded under shy son Philip (1894-1977) and equally shy grandson William (1933-1999); today, it’s world’s largest chewing gum producer (Spearmint, Juicy Fruit, Doublemint). Fourth-generation William Jr., 40, now CEO. Wrigleys and their Offield cousins own 35% of stock, control 60% of voting shares.
169. Perdue Farms (149)
Perdue/Salisbury, Md.
Industry: Poultry
Founded: 1920
Revenues: $2.7 billion
Employees: 20,000
www.perdue.com
Arthur Perdue started table-egg poultry farm; son Frank joined 1939 as third full-time employee, built into nation’s fourth-largest poultry producer by high-visibility role as spokesman in TV, radio ads. Frank’s son Jim succeeded him as CEO and spokesperson, 1991.
170. *Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse (155)
Milstein/Burlington, N.J.
Industry: Outerwear
Founded: 1924
Revenues: $2.697 billion
Employees: 23,000
www.coat.com
Founder Abe Milstein launched wholesale outerwear business 1924; son Monroe expanded into retailing 1950s. Now chain of some 330 off-price, no-frills retail stores offering current brand names at discount prices. Nation’s largest coat seller; also sells shoes, jewelry, linens, bath items, gifts and children’s apparel and furniture. Milstein family owns about 60% of company. Monroe Milstein, 75, is current CEO; third generation also active.
171. *Cintas (169)
Farmer/Cincinnati
Industry: Industrial services
Founded: 1929
Revenues: $2.687 billion
Employees: 27,000
www.cintas-corp.com
Founder Richard “Doc” Farmer started industrial laundry after being laid off as circus performer; joined by son Hershell. His kids Dick and Joan sometimes slept overnight at plant in crates of warm towels. Company now is nation’s largest supplier of uniforms. (About 5 million workers wear them.) Also makes floor mats, janitorial supplies, etc. Founder’s grandson Richard Farmer, 68, joined 1957, became CEO 1968, stepped down 1995 but still chairman. Son Scott now president and COO. Dick’s brother-in-law and boyhood chum Jim Gardner joined 1956, has been on board since 1969. Family owns about 21% of stock.
172. Schneider National (133)
Schneider/Green Bay, Wis.
Industry: Trucking
Founded: 1938
Revenues: $2.627 billion
Employees: 20,756
www.schneider.com
Nation’s largest truckload carrier (14,000 tractors, 40,000 trailers) started as one-truck business by Al Schneider. Son Donald joined after graduating from University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, introduced technology to trucking (first to install satellite-based communications tracking system to find lost trailers). Donald, 68, is current CEO.
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