Jacqueline Mars Net Worth, Biography and Career

Jacqueline Mars Net Worth $42 Billion

American businesswoman and entrepreneur Jacqueline Mars is one of the three children of Forrest Mars, Sr., and a grandchild of Franklin Clarence Mars, founders of the internationally popular candy company Mars, Incorporated.

In 2018, this brilliant investor was listed by Forbes magazine as the 38th richest person in the world with a net worth of 23.2 billion dollars.

The company is today known as one of the top ten privately held companies in America. A graduate of Bryn Mawr College, Ms. Mars is a well-educated woman. Besides being proficient in the fields of finance and business, she is conversant with anthropology as well.

She is highly disciplined and dedicated to her work, and this is what makes her stand out as one of the most successful women in business around the world.

A family-oriented lady, she is a mother of three and grandmother of six. She is a very humble and down-to-earth person when it comes to her personal life, and her benevolent side is evident in the way she lends her support to many charitable causes and events around the United States.

Early Life: Childhood, Education

She was born Jacqueline Mars on October 10, 1939, in Washington, DC, United States, to Forrest Mars, Sr. and Audrey Mars. She has two brothers, John Mars and Forrest Mars, Jr.

Jacqueline completed her studies at Miss Hall’s School before attending Bryn Mawr College where she earned her bachelor’s degree in anthropology in the year 1961.

Professional Life: Entrepreneurial Career

Ms. Mars is an heiress to a share in the candy company Mars, Incorporated, which is known for its production of confectionery items, such as Snickers, Milky Way, and the Mars bar, Snickers, as well as many non-confectionery items like Combos, baked snacks, Uncle Ben’s Rice, and Dolmio pasta sauces.

Earlier on, Jacqueline’s grandfather Franklin Clarence Mars launched the business when he began making chocolates in his kitchen.

The business was continued by her father Forrest Mars, Sr., who expanded the business by introducing many new items like the delicious malt-flavored nougat. Although the company has grown exponentially over the years, Mars Inc. still remains a family-owned business.

Away from the family business, Jacqueline Mars is a trustee of the United States Equestrian Team. She is also on the board of directors for organizations like the Fine Arts Museum, Washington National Opera, and the National Sporting Library.

She frequently contributes to several charitable causes through her own nonprofit organization called Mars Foundation. Among her philanthropic efforts are financial contributions to the National Symphony Orchestra and Australian Outback doctors.

Personal Life: Relationships, Children, Private Interests

Ms. Mars has been married on two separate occasions. She first wedded David H Badger and had three children with him, Alexandra Badger, Stephen Mills Badger, and Christa Badger, before their marriage came to an unhappy ending in 1984.

Two years after her first marriage ended, she married another man by the name of Hank Vogel. But just like her first marriage, her union with this man ended in divorce eight years later in 1994.

On October 4, 2013, the businesswoman was involved in a road accident that happened near her house in Northern Virginia. Her car struck a Chrysler van conveying six people. One passenger, aged 86, died instantly, while an eight months pregnant lady subsequently suffered a miscarriage.

Mars, who was eventually charged with reckless driving, confessed to a witness that she fell asleep while driving. She subsequently pleaded guilty to the charges labeled against her.

Jacqueline Mars Net Worth: Salary, Assets, Income Sources, Investments

As of today, Jacqueline Mars’ net worth is estimated at $42 billion. Her father and grandfather were the founders of the American candy empire Mars, Incorporated, from which she has derived much of her wealth. When her father handed the company to her and her brothers, her share in the Mars family company made her an instant billionaire and eventually registered her among the top 100 richest people in the United States.

Ms. Mars is a hard-working woman. Although she runs several organizations and holds significant positions on the boards of some of them, her wealth comes largely from the family from which she earned her distinctive name.

The candy company Mars, Inc. is the owner of some of the well-liked and most popular candy brands in the United States, including Snickers, Skittles, Starburst, M&Ms, and Mars Bar, as well as popular snack items like Combos and Altoids.

Despite that, she doesn’t hold any official position within the company, and owns one-third of the whole business, with the rest being owned by her brother and four nieces. Recently, the company posted revenue of $35 billion and has revealed its plans to further expand its reach by acquiring a list of other smaller businesses within the United States.