The World's Billionaires #3

The World's Billionaires #3 Warren Buffett

Net Worth: $47.0 bil

Fortune: Self Made

Source: Berkshire Hathaway

Age: 79

Country Of Citizenship: United States

Residence: Omaha, Nebraska

Education: Columbia U, Master of Science; U of Nebraska Lincoln, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Marital Status: Widowed, 3 children

America's favorite investor up $10 billion in past 12 months on surging Berkshire Hathaway shares; says U.S. has survived economic "Pearl Harbor," but warns recovery will be slow. Shrewdly invested $5 billion in Goldman Sachs and $3 billion in General Electric amid 2008 market collapse. Recently acquired railroad giant Burlington Northern Santa Fe for $26 billion. "We've put a lot of money to work during the chaos of the last two years. When it's raining gold, reach for a bucket, not a thimble." Berkshire Hathaway book value was up 19.8% to $21.8 billion in 2009. Son of Nebraska stockbroker met value investor Benjamin Graham while studying economics at Columbia. Took over textile firm Berkshire Hathaway in 1965, used company as a vehicle to invest in insurance (Geico), food (Dairy Queen), utilities (MidAmerican Energy) and recently green tech (electric-car maker BYD).