John Menard Jr
Source of wealth: Home improvement stores
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The scale of their wealth
Health
The price of life
Let's compare John Menard Jr's fortune with the healthcare spending of a massive country
John Menard Jr could fund the entire healthcare system of DR Congo, with a population of over 105,800,000 people, for approximately 6.9 years.
But even if we compare their fortune with that of a rich country
On the other end, John Menard Jr could cover the healthcare spending of Luxembourg, considered the most heavily funded healthcare system in the world, for 3.0 years.
Education
Buying the future
Let's also compare their fortune with education spending, first with a poor country
John Menard Jr could cover the total cost of Nigeria's education system, the most populous country in Africa with over 243,000,000 inhabitants, for 4.5 years.
And yes, we can also compare it with a rich country
But they couldn't just cover the cost of a poor country; Luxembourg is considered the country with the highest per capita investment in education in the world, and John Menard Jr could pay for it entirely for 6.1 years.
Research
The monopoly on progress
Coming full circle, we think it's also interesting to add another gigantic country
John Menard Jr could fully fund the state research budget of Pakistan, the fifth most populous country in the world with over 260,000,000 inhabitants, for 25.7 years.
And of course, the country that invests the most per capita worldwide
But even if we compare the total wealth of John Menard Jr with Israel, the country that invests the most per capita in research in the world, they could cover the total cost of the system for 0.6 years.
Gold
Everyday luxuries
John Menard Jr's fortune is equivalent to 105 tons of gold. It's hard to process, since we don't usually keep a handful of gold bars in our piggy banks.
A standard gold ring usually weighs between 4 and 7 grams. Let's say this one weighs 5 grams. It's usually 18 karats.
Based on today's gold price (excluding the jeweler's commission, shipping, or anything else), that ring would be worth $546.86.
John Menard Jr could buy 27,948,677 gold rings. That's a lot of fingers and way too many gifts!!
And if you're struggling to visualize that many rings, it would take 5 trucks to transport them. Although John Menard Jr will almost certainly have enough money left over to pay for the gas.
Biography
John Menard's home improvement retailer Menards brings in an estimated $13 billion in sales from more than 340 stores.
His stores, which compete with Home Depot and Lowe's, are concentrated in the middle of the U.S., from Wyoming to West Virginia.
Menard first started a construction business in 1958, 20 years before Home Depot launched.
Menard has developed a reputation for keeping a tight grip on his business, requiring even top executives to punch a time clock every morning.
Menard sponsored the winning car at the 2019 Indy 500, his first win in nearly 40 years of involvement in racing.
Financial Assets
Monthly wealth history
Fortune comparison
Historical data not available for comparison