You have to admire those who are not just given great wealth, but succeed through their own hard work. That’s the story of the richest black man in America who is now the wealthiest resident in Missouri.

Forbes has just issued their definitive ranking of the wealthiest Americans for 2025 and there’s a new richest man in Missouri

#98 on the wealthiest Americans list is David Steward who is the founder and chairman of IT provider World Wide Technology. He is now worth an estimated $12.4 billion dollars according to Forbes. Mr. Steward’s road to success was not an easy one. He grew up as one of seven children in his family. They say his dad was a “mechanic, janitor and trash collector”.  David chose education as his path and graduated from Central Missouri University before going to work for Missouri Pacific Railroad, Union Pacific and FedEx. He would go out on his own to found World Wide Technology in 1990.

Other Missourians that made the list include Pauline MacMillan Keinath at #158 and Johnny Morris at #176.

David Steward is doing good deeds with his wealth, too, in Missouri

The Steward Family Foundation is one of the largest private family foundations in the United States. In just the past 12 years, they have donated to more than 100 organizations with more than $100 million dollars being donated to them. His family foundation’s generosity has impacted every state in America. This is the kind of American success story that I am proud to tell and it all began (and remains) in Missouri, too.