Four Northern Virginians Make Forbes' Wealthiest Billionaires List

The DC metro area has its share of movers and shakers, but when some move and shake, there’s a little more money jingling in their pockets.

Forbes has published its “World’s Billionaires List” and four Northern Virginians are on the list.

Tops in Northern Virginia is candy heiress Jacqueline Mars. She is the granddaughter of its founder, Frank C. Mars and the daughter of Forrest Mars Sr., who also worked at the company. She worked at McLean-based Mars for nearly 20 years before retiring in 2001. The Mars company includes some pretty familiar brands you’ll find at the grocery store, including: Skittles, M&Ms, Dove bars, Orbit gum and also Uncle Ben’s rice and pet food such as Whiskas and Pedigree.

Mars was in the news two years ago, when the Porsche SUV she was driving in Loudoun County plowed head-on into another car after she reportedly fell asleep at the wheel; a passenger in the other car was killed. She was fined and her driver’s license was suspended for six months.

The Washington Post has reported that Mars gives some of her money away, to the Washington National Opera and to the U.S. Equestrian Team. Mars is also a member of the board of trustees of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, as well as vice chairman of the National Sporting Library & Museum in Middleburg. She is also on the board of American Prairie Reserve in Montana.

The Mars company has net sales of more than $33 billion, according to its Web site.

According to Forbes, the top billionaires in Northern Virginia are:

• #22 Jacqueline Mars ($26.6 billion / The Plains)
• #628 William Conway Jr. ($2.9 billion/McLean)
• #628 Daniel D’Aniello ($2.9 billion/Vienna) tied with Conway Jr. and another billionaire outside of Northern Virginia
• #1,386 Steve Case ($1.35 billion/McLean)

PHOTO: Jacqueline Mars is ranked #22 on Forbes list of “top billionaires.” The photo is from the American Prairie Reserve Web site, where Mars sits on the board. The reserve is aiming to create the largest wildlife reserve in the lower 48 states, consisting of approximately 3.5 million acres of both private and public lands.