The fabulous life of Michael Bloomberg, the eighth richest person in America
Meet Michael Bloomberg: America's eighth richest person, founder of Bloomberg LP, philanthropist, and former New York City mayor.
Bloomberg grew up in Medford, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. He went to Johns Hopkins University for mechanical engineering and received a MBA from Harvard University.
Source: Wealth X
After reaching partner at Solomon Brothers, he was later in charge of IT. When Solomon merged with Phibro, they let Bloomberg go. He then created Bloomberg LP, a financial services and media company worth a reported $27.7 billion, due in large part to the success of the Bloomberg Terminal.
Personally and through his foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, he has donated $3 billion to a variety of charitable causes.
Source: Bloomberg Philanthropies
He recently donated $100 million to Cornell's new technology campus, rising on New York's Roosevelt Island.
Though he has returned to the head of his eponymous company, he was away for a period of 12 years while serving as mayor of New York City. He took office in 2002 — earning a $1 per year salary — and helped rebuild the city after 9/11.
Source: Business Insider
As for real estate, Bloomberg is said to own between 12 and 15 houses around the world. His home base is a five-story townhouse on Manhattan's Upper East Side. He also owns the building next door, as well as another condo in NYC.
Source: NYTimes
Just outside of the city, he owns two houses in Westchester County's North Salem. Adjacent to the $3.6 million equestrian estate he bought for his daughter, Georgina, in 2001 is a $4.55 million home he purchased in 2012. The former has an indoor riding ring and 20 beautiful acres.
Source: NYTimes
He also owns a property in the Westchester town of Armonk, NY, but not much is known about it.
Source: Capital
In the summer, he can relax in his Hamptons home, called "Ballyshear." Purchased in 2011, the estate's 35 acres and 22,500-square-foot house had an asking price of $22.5 million. He also owns a neighboring house and another 4.8 acre plot of vacant land.
Source: Business Insider
Bloomberg is an avid skier and owns a top floor unit in the Mountain Haus ski resort in Vail, Colorado. Bloomberg is also a member of the exclusive Game Creek Club, a restaurant located mid-way down a ski slope.
Source: New York Magazine
Yet another home he owns is in the Mallet Hill neighborhood of Wellington, Florida, an equestrian hot spot. Georgina has been using it full-time to train after selling her own property in the area.
Source: Gossipextra.com
Internationally, Bloomberg has two houses in London — a city he consistently refers to as his "second home." The first, which Bloomberg has owned for a while, is in the exclusive borough of Knightsbridge. It's worth $18 million and is reportedly filled with American art.
Source: New York magazine
Clearly a London fan, Bloomberg has even been knighted by the Queen for charitable contributions and is credited with strengthening the "special relationship" between the US and the UK. His newest London home was purchased for $26.5 million and sits along the River Thames.
Another of his international abodes is in Bermuda, where it's notoriously hard for non-natives to purchase a home. In the comfort of his private jet he can get to his Bermuda house in two hours. Cab drivers in the area often jockey for the chance to drive him around, as he is said to be a very good tipper.
Source: New York magazine, NYTimes
Speaking of private jets, Bloomberg, who has his pilot's license, owns a trijet Dassault Falcon 900B on a Bermuda registry. Though Dassualt no longer makes this model, its updated cousin, the 900LX, retails for $42 million.
Source: Wealth X
He's also passionate about helicopters. He owns a six-seat Agusta SPA A109S — which he is fond of flying — worth $4.5 million. Bloomberg is said to be an excellent pilot and received his flying license in 1976.
Source: NYTimes
But his love of aircrafts doesn't stop there. He's near the top of the exclusive waiting list for an Agusta Westland AW609 Tilt-rotor, a futuristic plane/helicopter hybrid. When it's delivered to Bloomberg in 2016, it could reportedly cost him up to $30 million.
Source: NYTimes
Besides futuristic toys and shiny metal, Bloomberg also loves shiny fish. When he was at City Hall, he had two enormous tanks installed and spent $62,400 a week to maintain them. Bloomberg LP also has fish tanks in its lobby.
Source: Wealth X
As for suiting, his closet is filled with threads made by legendary Brooklyn tailor Martin Greenfield.
Source: New York Daily News
Though nutrition was one of his signature issues as mayor, he's been chided for not following his own advice. He loves Cheez-Its, puts salt on everything (even pizza), and drinks four to five cups of coffee a day.
Source: NYTimes 1, 2
Bloomberg has had two big relationships: his ex-wife, Susan Brown, whom he divorced in 1993, and his current domestic partner, Diana Taylor, a divorcée he met in 2000. Taylor was the unofficial first lady during his time as mayor and now serves as the New York State Superintendent of Banks. Both parties say marriage isn't in the cards.
Source: Wealth X
He has two children, Georgina Bloomberg, a professional equestrian rider, and Emma Bloomberg, who works in non-profits.
Source: Wealth X
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