Alabama is one of the few states in the USA that has no billionaires. However, it still has its fair share of rich entrepreneurs and businessmen.
The table below lists down the ten richest people in Alabama, from the least wealthy to the wealthiest:
| Name | Occupation | Net worth/annual salary |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Brian Wiatrak | ENT-otolaryngologist | $1,159,993 |
| Clark Christianson | President/CEO at Providence Hospital | $1,270,000 |
| Dr. Brian Richardson | Urologist | $1,345,979 |
| Dr. Jason Swanner | Ophthalmology Specialist | $1,347,877 |
| Isaac William Ferniany, Ph.D. | CEO at UAB Health System (Retired) | $1,420,539 |
| Mark Nix | President/CEO at Infirmary Health System | $1,517,847 |
| John O’Neil | Executive Vice President at Vincari | $1,912,531 |
| Harbert Family | Business owners, various corporations | $1.2 billion split between 3 heirs |
| Stephens Family | Owners of EBSCO Industries | $3 billion split between 4 heirs |
| James W. Rane | Founder and CEO of Great Southern Wood Preserving | $950 million |
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10. Doctor Brian Wiatrak
- Annual salary: $1,159,993
Doctor Wiatrak is an otolaryngologist and the current Director of Pediatric Otolaryngology at the Children’s of Alabama hospital.
He completed a fellowship and received his certification in 1989, at Children’s Hospital in Cincinnati.
Before that, he graduated with a medical degree at the Medical School of the University of Michigan. He’s a specialist at airway lesion management, laryngotracheal reconstruction and management of head and neck masses.
With over a million dollars a year in compensation, he’s one of the richest doctors in Birmingham, Alabama.
9. Clark Christianson
- Annual salary: $1,270,000
Clark Christianson might not have a degree in medicine, but he still has ties to the healthcare industry.
He is the CEO of Providence Hospital and chairman of the Alabama Hospital Association’s Board of Trustees.
On top of running the hospital and meeting the highest practice and safety standards, Christianson is one of the richest people in Mobile, Alabama.
8. Doctor Brian Richardson
- Annual salary: $1,345,979
As you’ll quickly realize, many people on this list are physicians. After receiving his degree from St. George’s School of Medicine, Richardson specialized in urology.
Today, he’s an urology specialist at the Jackson Clinic in Montgomery.
He’s a specialist in minimally invasive robotic and laparoscopic urologic surgery, and also one of the wealthiest people in Montgomery.
7. Doctor Jason Swanner
- Annual salary: $1,347,877
After graduating from Samford University in 1994 and the University of South Alabama College of Medicine in 1998, doctor Swanner completed his fellowship at Harvard University.
He’s a specialist in ophthalmology, currently serving as the Director of Clinical Operations for the Ophthalmology Services for the University of Alabama.
His yearly base pay is just under $1.4 million, which makes him the richest doctor in Alabama.
6. Isaac William Ferniany, Ph.D.
- Annual salary: $1,420,539
The former CEO of the University of Alabama Health System, Will Ferniany, retired at the end of 2021.
He’s been the CEO of the Health System since 2008, overseeing a health system consisting of 11 hospitals, worth over $5 billion.
Worth over $1.5 million, Ferniany worked hard to improve the health system of Birmingham, but also the rest of Alabama. William Ferniany is one of the richest persons in Alabama in medicine.
5. Mark Nix
- Annual salary: $1,517,847
The President and Chief Executive Officer of Infirmary Health, Mark Nix, is the fifth richest person in Alabama.
Providing healthcare in 11 counties of Alabama and Mississippi, Mark Nix stands at the top of the hierarchy in Infirmary Health.
After taking on the role of the president in 2009, Nix has reached a yearly compensation of more than $1.5 million. This makes him the richest person from Russellville.
4. John O’Neil
- Annual salary: $1,912,531
The former CEO of St. Vincent’s Health System, John O’Neil, has left that position and joined Vincari, an IT company in Birmingham as the executive vice president of strategy and business development.
Earning almost $2 million on a yearly basis, John O’Neil is the richest person in Alabama in the IT sector.
3. The Harbert Family
- Net worth: $1.2 billion
Brothers and sister Raymond, John, and Marguerite Harbert are the heirs to a $1.2 billion fortune. It is unknown how they split it after inheriting it, so it’s hard to tell who’s the richest one.
What we do know is that this is one of the wealthiest families in Alabama and that Marguerite sued her brother Raymond for mishandling the estate.
Up until her death in 2013, their mother was the richest person in Alabama with over $1.2 billion to her name.
This accusation is yet to have any effect on their inheritance.
2. The Stephens Family
- Net worth: $3 billion
Much like the Harberts, the Stephens siblings inherited the family assets in 2005.
According to James T. Stephens, son of the founder and former chairman of EBSCO industries, all family assets are currently owned by the company.
Nevertheless, James and his three siblings, Elton B. Stephens, Jr., Jane S. Comer, and Dell S. Brooke, are undeniably some of the richest persons in Alabama.
As EBSCO’s chairman from 2002 to 2017 and head of the family, James is also known for its charity and philanthropy work, donating plenty to universities and science centers.
1. James W. Rane
- Net worth: $950 million
The richest person in Abbeville and the rest of Alabama, James W. Rane is the founder and CEO of Great Southern Wood Preserving. The manufacturing company is known for its decks, fences, and other similar wood products.
According to USA Today, Rane currently has a net worth of $950 million.
Despite his wealth, Rane continues to live in his small hometown, where he has made it a mission to revitalize the community.
At the same time, Rane also believes in self-improvement through education and has given away 420 college scholarships.