Jacqueline Mars

Early life

Jacqueline Mars was born on October 10, 1939, in New Jersey, United States. She is the daughter of Forrest Mars Sr., who was the founder of Mars candy company, and his wife Audrey Ruth. Jacqueline spent most of her childhood in New Jersey and attended private schools in Virginia.

Mars graduated from Miss Hall’s School, which is situated in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. During her youth, she actively participated in equestrian events. In 1961, she received a degree in anthropology from Bryn Mawr College.

In 1961, Mars tied the knot with David H. Badger, and they had three children together. Later, they parted ways in 1984. Subsequently, she married Harold ‘Hank’ Vogel in 1986, but the couple divorced in 1994.

Despite the split, Mars continues to maintain her philanthropic and community involvement, serving as a trustee of the U.S. Equestrian Team, and owning a protected organic farm, among other contributions to society.

Career

Jacqueline Mars started her career in the family business in the early 1980s, when she joined the Mars candy company as a board member. She quickly rose through the ranks and became one of the company’s top executives, playing a key role in the development and expansion of Mars’ global operations. Today, Jacqueline Mars is the co-owner of Mars candy company, along with her siblings, John Mars and Forrest Mars Jr.

Her charitable work also includes donations to the League of Conservation Voters and recognition with the Heritage Award from the Foundation for the National Archives. Additionally, she sits on the board of directors for the Washington National Opera and the National Sporting Library and Fine Arts Museum and is a member of the National Advisory Council of the Journey Through Hallowed Ground.

Jacqueline Mars is a member of the Mars family, the founders, and owners of Mars Incorporated, and she holds shares in the company. According to Forbes, her net worth, including her shares in Mars, Inc. and other assets, was valued at $23.5 billion as of January 2019, ranking her as the 18th richest American and #34 on the list of “The World’s Billionaires.”

Mars joined the company as the food product group president in 1982 and remained active in the business until her retirement in 2001. In June 2019, Forbes named her the wealthiest resident in Virginia, with an estimated net worth of $28.1 billion.

Jacqueline Mars is known for her philanthropic work and has generously donated millions of dollars to a variety of organizations and causes. She is a supporter of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, the Washington National Opera, and the Virginia Working Landscapes program.

Mars is also an animal lover and has been actively involved in animal welfare organizations. She has made donations to organizations such as the Animal Welfare Institute and the Humane Society of the United States.

Apart from her passion for horses and the equestrian community, Mars is also interested in conservation and sustainable agriculture. She owns a 600-acre organic farm located in Virginia that is protected by a land trust, and this farm has given her the opportunity to support her values and promote sustainable farming practices.

Mars Family:

The Mars family is an American family that has ownership of the well-known confectionery company, Mars, Inc. In 1988, Fortune magazine ranked the Mars family as the wealthiest family in the United States. Since then, they have been surpassed by the Walton and Koch families and were ranked as the third richest family in America in 2016, according to the same publication. The family has a long-standing history of wealth and prosperity, and as of April 2020, the combined private fortune of its members was estimated to be around $126 billion, making them one of the richest families in the world.

The Mars family is known to be very private, and they rarely give interviews to the press or allow themselves to be photographed in public, except for Jacqueline Mars and Victoria B. Mars. They are fiercely protective of their privacy and keep a low profile. In addition, they were among 18 billionaire families who lobbied Congress to eliminate the estate tax.

Upon the death of Forrest Mars Sr., he and his two sons were ranked as some of the richest Americans by Forbes magazine. In March 2010, the three children of Forrest Mars were listed among the world’s richest people, with a net worth of $11 billion each. One of his sons, Forrest Mars Jr., passed away in 2016, and his four daughters inherited his wealth, with three of them currently working for the company as of 2019.

Net Worth

As of 2023, Jacqueline Mars has an estimated net worth of $38.3 billion, according to Forbes. She is one of the richest women in the world and has made most of her fortune from her stake in the Mars candy company.

Achievement

• Jacqueline Mars is widely recognized for her philanthropic work, and she has donated millions of dollars to various charitable causes over the years. She is also an accomplished equestrian and has won several awards and accolades for her skills as a rider.
• In 2021, Jacqueline Mars, a prominent and well-loved supporter of eventing, received the prestigious USEA President’s Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her remarkable contributions to the sport.
• Prior to this, Ms. Mars was honored with induction into the USEA Hall of Fame in 2015 and the USET Foundation’s R. Bruce Duchossois Distinguished Trustee Award in 2017, acknowledging her exceptional commitment and dedication to equestrianism.