6 San Diegans, Led by 3 Women, Make Magazine’s Roster

Six San Diegans are included in the list of the nation’s 400 wealthiest citizens as compiled by Forbes Magazine.

Three women top the San Diego contingent.

Joan Kroc, owner of the San Diego Padres and widow of McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc, ranked highest among the local entrants, with an estimated net worth of $640 million, up from $525 million in the previous Forbes ranking.

Helen Copley, publisher of Copley Newspapers, which include the San Diego Union and Tribune, was reported to have a net worth of $450 million, up from $335 million last year.

Margaret Cargill, whose Minneapolis-based family owns one of the world’s biggest grain-trading firms, is reportedly worth $315 million, up from $250 million last year.

Shopping center magnate Ernest Hahn is worth an estimated $300 million, up from $200 million last year, and Robert Staples Howard, whose Howard Publications operates several small daily papers, is worth about $250 million, about the same as last year.

M. Larry Lawrence, developer and chairman of the Hotel del Coronado Corp., is worth about $180 million, the same as last year, according to the magazine.

Retailing pioneer Sol Price, founder of now-defunct FedMart discount stores and of the successful Price Co., failed to make the list. Last year, his worth was estimated to be $200 million. It is somewhat surprising that Price didn’t make the list. He has sold some of his Price Co. stock and has apparently transferred some of it to a foundation, but not enough to bump him from the $200-million mark, according to one analyst who follows Price Co.

Price, who shuns publicity in general and this type of publicity in particular, could not be reached for comment.

Two others with ties to San Diego also made the Forbes list. Alex Spanos, owner of the San Diego Chargers, has an estimated net worth of $200 million. Wall Street arbitrageur Ivan Boesky, chairman of San Diego-based Northview Corp., is worth about $200 million, according to Forbes.