About Gerald Ford
  • Gerald Ford has been buying distressed banks and turning them around since 1975, when he bought his first bank.
  • His first big success was in 2002, when he and his billionaire friend Ronald Perelman sold Golden State Bancorp to Citigroup for $6 billion in stock.
  • Ford has a 20% stake in public Hilltop Holdings, which owns PlainsCapital Bank, mortgage originator PrimeLending and investment bank HilltopSecurities.
  • Ford's son Jeremy Ford is CEO of Hilltop Holdings and his son-in-law Corey Prestidge is general counsel and executive vice president of the firm.
  • Ford's California-based Mechanics Bank has more than $18 billion in assets.
Wealth History
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Forbes Lists

#391
Forbes 400 (2020)Dropped off in 2021
Personal Stats
Age
79
Source of Wealth
Banking, Self Made
Self-Made Score
9
Philanthropy Score
2
Residence
Dallas, Texas
Citizenship
United States
Marital Status
Married
Children
6
Education
Bachelor of Arts/Science, Southern Methodist University; Doctor of Jurisprudence, Southern Methodist University
Did you know
Ford and his wife, Kelli, own multi-million-dollar ranches in Kentucky and New Mexico as well as homes in Dallas and the Hamptons.
Ford gifted his alma mater Southern Methodist University $20 million in 1997 for a new football stadium and $15 million in 2013 to build a research center.
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Dallas, TX
Dallas, TX
Resides in Dallas, TX Metropolitan Area
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