After seeing http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/31/richest-person-in-each-state_n_5617993.html?ir=Business I decided I wanted to know more about what these people did to get there. Here is a poorly curated list ignoring the Waltons because, you know, Walllmarts. I'm sure these aren't the most interesting stories, but I was surprised at how many people didn't simply inherit all their wealth.
Phil Knight Nike http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Knight
Larry Ellison Oracle http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Ellison
Sheldon Adelson casinos http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheldon_Adelson
Frank VanderSloot multilevel marketing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Vandersloot
Jon Huntsman, Sr. polystyrene and chemicals http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Huntsman,_Sr.
Bruce Halle Discount Tire http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Halle
Dennis Washington (montana) Construction http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Washington
charles Ergen Dish Network and EchoStar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Ergen
Maloof Brothers Gaming and beverage distributors http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maloof_family
Gary Tharaldson Hotels http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Tharaldson
T. Denny Sanford credit cards for poor people http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._Denny_Sanford
Harold Hamm oil, shale http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Hamm
Whitney MacMillan cargill http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitney_MacMillan
Harry Stine seed http://www.stineseed.com/about-stine/media/company-leadership/harry-h-stine/
Jack Taylor Enterprise Rent-A-Car http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_C._Taylor
Tom Benson car dealerships/lucky investments http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Benson
Jon Menard Hardware Stores http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Menard,_Jr.
Ken Griffin Hege Funds, Citadel http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_C._Griffin
Leslie Lampton, oil refining and distribution http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ergon,_Inc.
Hank and Doug Meijer retail http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meijer
Gayle Cook medical devices http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Cook_(entrepreneur)
Bradley Hughes public storage dba a REIT http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._Wayne_Hughes
Thomas Frist KFC and for-profit hospitals http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_F._Frist,_Jr.
Leslie Wexner Retail - Limited Brands http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_Wexner
Marguerite Harbert inherited from construction work http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_M._Harbert
Jim Justice mining grain farms http://www.forbes.com/profile/jim-justice-ii/
Anne Cox Chambers media http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Cox_Chambers
Charles Johnson mutual funds http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Bartlett_Johnson
Mary Alice Dorrance Malone campbell soup http://www.forbes.com/profile/mary-alice-dorrance-malone/
Jacqueline Mars mars candy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacqueline_Mars
James Goodnight SAS http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Goodnight
Anita Zucker married to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Zucker_(businessman)
John Abele Boston Scientific http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Abele
Leon Gorman retail, L.L. Bean http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Gorman
Rick Cohen wholesale groceries http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_B._Cohen
Abigail Johnson Fidelity family money http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abigail_Johnson
Jonathan Nelson founded Providence Equity Partners http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_M._Nelson
Ray Dalio Bridgewater http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Dalio
David Tepper finance http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Tepper
Robert Gore Teflon, Gore-Tex http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_W._Gore
Ted Lerner real estate development http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Lerner