Charles Koch

Charles Koch
Koch in 2019
Born
Charles de Ganahl Koch

(1935-11-01) November 1, 1935 (age 89)
Wichita, Kansas, U.S.
EducationMassachusetts Institute of Technology (BS, MS, MS)
OccupationBusinessman
EmployerKoch Industries
TitleChairman and CEO of Koch Industries
Political partyLibertarian
Spouse
Liz Koch
​
(m. 1972)​
[1]
Children
Parents
Relatives
Signature
Koch's signature
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Charles de Ganahl Koch (/koʊk/ KOHK; born November 1, 1935) is an American billionaire businessman. As of February 2024, he was ranked as the 23rd richest man in the world on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, with an estimated net worth of $64.9 billion.[4] Koch has been co-owner, chairman, and chief executive officer of Koch Industries since 1967, while his late brother David Koch served as executive vice president. Charles and David each owned 42% of the conglomerate. The brothers inherited the business from their father, Fred C. Koch, then expanded the business.[5] Koch Industries is the largest privately held company by revenue in the United States, according to Forbes.[6]

Koch also supports a number of libertarian think tanks, including the Institute for Humane Studies, the Cato Institute, the Ayn Rand Institute,[7] and the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He also contributes to the Republican Party and candidates, libertarian groups, and various charitable and cultural institutions. He co-founded the Washington, D.C.–based Cato Institute. Along with his brother, Koch has been an important funder of think tanks that lobby to oppose environmental regulation. Koch has published four books detailing his business philosophy, Market Based Management (2006),[8] The Science of Success (2007),[9] Good Profit (2015),[10] and Believe in People (2020).[11]

  1. ^ "Charles G. Koch | Charles Koch Foundation". Charles G. Koch Foundation. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  2. ^ Mr. Big Forbes.com. Retrieved November 2011.
  3. ^ "Koch, Charles (1935)". New Netherland Project. Archived from the original on December 13, 2010. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  4. ^ "Bloomberg Billionaires Index: Charles Koch". Bloomberg. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference time was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "America's Largest Private Companies". Forbes. 2020. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  7. ^ "Ayn Rand Institute - Ties to the Koch Brothers". SourceWatch. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
  8. ^ 2006 ISBN 978-1931721998
  9. ^ Charles G. Koch (2007). The Science Of Success Archived May 17, 2014, at the Wayback Machine ISBN 978-0470139882 Retrieved April 2011.
  10. ^ "Charles Koch's New Book Out Tuesday" Biz Journals, Wichita, October 12, 2015. ISBN 978-0147520470
  11. ^ ""Believe in People" By Charles Koch & Brian Hooks". Believe In People. Retrieved September 6, 2023.