The Richest Man In Town
by W. Randall Jones

The Twelve Commandments of Wealth

Every Town Has One: A richest man or woman in town, that is. Without serious thought or reading farther, you probably have an idea who is the most successful person in your hometown. Often this is the largest employer, the most generous philanthropist, the most admired; very often, it's the most colorful or even the most feared person in town. One thing is certain--this person holds considerable sway over their town; his or her influence is unquestioned. So who is the richest self-sufficient person in New York, Los Angeles, Sacramento, or Savannah? The Richest Man In Town isolates these folks in a hundred American towns, delving into their psyches to reveal their very personal stories and, more important, their wisdom on wealth creation. They have all achieved their own American Dream; now, many of them for the first time have taken time to reflect on how they did it, what they learned along the way, and what advice they would give to their best friend or their own children or grandchildren.

It was my intention that The Richest Man In Town would be the most substantive and substantial collective analysis of modern America's most successful self-made individuals to date. It is also perhaps the only analysis of the proven ways in which one gets mega-rich in America today. F. Scott Fitzgerald may have been right when he wrote, "The rich are different from you and me." Of course, they have more money, way more money, but are they really that different? What sets them apart, other than copious amounts of cash? What are the commonalities among these hundred self-sufficient individuals? Did they set out to get rich, or did their success evolve over time? What is the one thing that most affected their success? Who was their role model or mentor--if they even had one? What is the true secret or secrets to their success? Are the religious? What role has marriage or partnership played in their success? At what age did they make it big? Who do they most admire? What were the most important steps they took to achieve such monumental success? What were the hardest lessons they learned in their journey to becoming the richest person in town?

About the author:

W. Randall Jones has spent 25 years in the magazine and media business. He is the founder of Worth magazine, the financial lifestyle magazine for active wealthy investors, and is also the founder of The American Benefactor magazine, the first magazine about philanthropy from the donor's perspective. He was recently honored by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of America as "Philanthropist of the Year."

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