Bren Again O.C.’s Richest

After a one-year hiatus, real estate baron Donald L. Bren has regained the title of Orange County’s wealthiest person.

The Irvine Co. owner leaped past Broadcom Corp. founders Henry T. Nicholas III and Henry Samueli, who saw their fortunes shrivel to a mere $2 billion from $10 billion over the past year in the high-tech stock swoon.

Bren’s estimated net worth remained $4 billion, but he moved up 19 notches to No. 42 on Forbes’ list of the 400 wealthiest Americans as the slowing economy took its toll on high-tech executives and others.

Nicholas and Samueli, who a year ago were the 18th-richest Americans, fell to 97th, according to the magazine’s annual survey, released Thursday. Shares of their Irvine chip maker have lost more than 92% of their value over the past year.

In a reflection of the sagging economy, the combined net worth of all 400 fell from $1.2 trillion in 2000 to $946 billion this year, only the third time that’s happened since Forbes began compiling the list in 1982.

Microsoft co-founder and Chairman Bill Gates remained the richest person as of Aug. 27, but his net worth fell to $54 billion, down from $63 billion last year.

Investor Warren Buffett moved into second place, followed by the other Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen. Oracle Chief Executive Larry Ellison dropped from second to fourth.

Fifty-four “new economy” entrepreneurs were pushed off as the high-tech sector continued to slide.

This year’s lineup includes 236 billionaires, down from 274 last year. Just to make it into the top 400 took a minimum net worth of $600 million, down $125 million from last year.

Forbes calculated the effect of the Sept. 11 attack on 50 of the list’s more recognizable names. Gates lost $7.2 billion from Aug. 27 to Sept. 24, leaving his net worth at $46.8 billion. Buffett lost $2.8 billion, dropping his net worth to $30.4 billion, and Allen’s net worth fell $4 billion to $24.2 billion. The total net worth of the group of 50 dropped from $311 billion to $266.5 billion.

Three other Orange County residents made the list: developer George Argyros, nominated as ambassador to Spain, No. 236 with estimated net worth of $1 billion; Quest Software Chairman Vincent C. Smith, No. 320, $800 million; and oil heiress Anne Catherine Getty Earhart, No. 336, $775 million.