Jacqueline Mars

Jacqueline Mars
Born	Jacqueline Badger Mars 10 10, 1939
Birthplace	United States
Nationality	American
Occupation	Heiress, investor, philanthropist
Known for	Co-ownership of Mars, Incorporated
Education	Bryn Mawr College
Spouse(s)	Template:Plainlist
Awards	Heritage Award (Foundation for the National Archives, 2012)

Jacqueline Badger Mars (born October 10, 1939) is an American heiress, investor, and philanthropist. She is the daughter of Forrest Mars Sr. and Audrey Ruth (Meyer) Mars, and the granddaughter of Franklin Clarence Mars, who founded the American confectionery company Mars, Incorporated. Mars owns an estimated one-third of Mars, Inc., one of the world's largest privately held companies, which manufactures confectionery products, pet food, and other consumer goods. As of 2025, Forbes estimated her net worth at approximately $42.6 billion, making her one of the wealthiest women in the world and one of the richest individuals in the United States. She has been a resident of Northern Virginia for decades and is known for her philanthropic activities, particularly in the areas of land conservation and cultural heritage. Mars served on the board of Mars, Inc. and has been involved in equestrian pursuits and land preservation in Virginia's horse country.

Early Life

Jacqueline Mars was born on October 10, 1939, the daughter of Forrest Mars Sr. and Audrey Ruth (Meyer) Mars. Her grandfather, Franklin Clarence Mars, founded Mars, Incorporated in 1911, beginning what would become one of the largest privately held businesses in the world. Her father, Forrest Mars Sr., expanded the family business significantly, developing iconic brands and growing the company's international presence.

Jacqueline Mars grew up as part of one of America's most prominent business dynasties. The Mars family has historically maintained a high degree of privacy, rarely giving interviews or making public appearances—a tradition that Jacqueline Mars has largely upheld throughout her life. She has two brothers: Forrest Mars Jr. and John Mars, with whom she shared ownership of Mars, Incorporated. The three siblings each held an approximately one-third stake in the family company.

The Mars family fortune traces its origins to the early twentieth century. Franklin Clarence Mars began making and selling candy in Tacoma, Washington, before relocating operations to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where the company grew substantially. Forrest Mars Sr. took the company to new heights, introducing products that became household names and expanding the business into international markets. The family's confectionery enterprise eventually grew to encompass not only candy but also pet food, food products, and other consumer goods, making it one of the largest privately held corporations globally.

Education

Jacqueline Mars attended Bryn Mawr College, a private women's liberal arts college located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. She has also been associated with Miss Hall's School, a private girls' boarding school in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, where she served on the Board of Trustees.

Career

Mars, Incorporated

Jacqueline Mars's career and financial standing have been closely tied to Mars, Incorporated, the family-owned enterprise founded by her grandfather and expanded by her father. The company grew from a small candy-making operation into a global conglomerate producing some of the world's best-known brands in confectionery, pet care, and food products. Mars, Inc. is the maker of candy brands including M&M's, Snickers, Milky Way, and Twix, as well as pet food brands such as Pedigree, Whiskas, and Royal Canin. The company is headquartered in McLean, Virginia.

Jacqueline Mars, along with her brothers Forrest Mars Jr. and John Mars, inherited ownership of the company. Each sibling held an estimated one-third share of Mars, Inc. The Mars family has been recognized as one of the top ten wealthiest families in the world, having built their fortune over decades as owners of Mars, Inc.

Mars served on the board of directors of Mars, Incorporated. The company has remained privately held throughout its history, a decision that has allowed the Mars family to maintain control over its operations while avoiding the public disclosure requirements that come with being a publicly traded corporation. This commitment to privacy has been a hallmark of the Mars family's approach to business.

Investment Activities

Beyond her stake in the family company, Jacqueline Mars has been described as an investor with interests spanning multiple sectors. According to Thomasnet, Mars owns an estimated one-third of Mars, Inc., which is described as "a world-leading manufacturer of confectionery, pet food, and" other products. The scope of Mars, Inc.'s operations extends well beyond traditional candy manufacturing, encompassing a diversified portfolio of consumer brands and services.

Wealth and Financial Standing

Jacqueline Mars has consistently ranked among the wealthiest individuals in the world and among the richest women globally. Her wealth is derived primarily from her ownership stake in Mars, Incorporated.

In 2023, Forbes estimated her fortune at $38.3 billion and placed her fourth in its annual ranking of the richest women in the world.

By 2025, her estimated net worth had grown to approximately $42.6 billion, according to the Forbes billionaires list, making her one of six Virginia residents on the list. In September 2025, Forbes ranked her 22nd on the Forbes 400 list of wealthiest Americans, with a net worth of $42.2 billion, making her the wealthiest person in the Greater Washington, D.C. area. She was one of six Virginia billionaires on the Forbes 400 list that year.

In 2019, Forbes identified her as the richest person in the state of Virginia.

In 2025, the WION news outlet noted that Mars remained among the richest women in the world according to Forbes rankings.

Virginia's overall count of billionaires grew to ten in 2025, according to the Forbes annual list, with Mars among the most prominent.

Philanthropy

Jacqueline Mars has been involved in philanthropic activities, though, consistent with the Mars family's private nature, much of her charitable work has received limited public attention.

Land Conservation

Mars has been a notable figure in land conservation efforts in Virginia. In 2017, she placed her Meredyth Farm property under a conservation easement, protecting the land from future development. The Land Trust of Virginia announced the protection of the property, described as part of an effort to preserve the rural landscape of Virginia's horse country.

Civil War Preservation

Mars has served in a leadership capacity with the American Battlefield Trust (formerly the Civil War Trust), appearing on the organization's board. Her involvement with the organization reflects an interest in the preservation of American Civil War battlefields and related historic sites.

Cultural and National Heritage

In 2012, the Foundation for the National Archives presented its Heritage Award to Jacqueline Badger Mars in recognition of her philanthropic contributions. The award recognized her support for the preservation and promotion of the nation's archival heritage.

Broader Philanthropic Interests

Inside Philanthropy has explored the question of how the Mars family fortune might be directed toward charitable purposes, noting that the family's significant wealth positions it among the most potentially impactful philanthropic dynasties in the United States.

Personal Life

Jacqueline Mars has been married twice. Her first marriage was to David H. Badger in 1961; the couple divorced in 1984. She married Harold "Hank" Vogel in 1986; that marriage ended in divorce in 1994. She has children from her first marriage; a 1991 New York Times announcement reported that a Miss Badger—her daughter—was to marry Andrew Carey.

Mars has been a longtime resident of Northern Virginia, where she is one of the area's most prominent citizens. She maintains a property known as Meredyth Farm in Virginia's horse country, where she has been involved in equestrian activities.

2013 Automobile Accident

In October 2013, Mars was involved in a fatal automobile accident in Loudoun County, Virginia. According to reports, authorities stated that Mars had fallen asleep behind the wheel of her vehicle prior to the collision. The crash resulted in the death of Irene C. Ellisor of Huntsville, Texas.

Forbes reporter Brian Solomon reported that a pregnant victim in the crash lost her eight-month unborn baby as a result of the accident.

Mars was subsequently charged with reckless driving in connection with the fatal crash. In December 2013, she was convicted of reckless driving in the incident by a Loudoun County court, as reported by The Washington Post.

Recognition

In 2012, the Foundation for the National Archives honored Jacqueline Mars with its Heritage Award for her contributions to philanthropy and the preservation of the nation's archival heritage.

Mars has appeared on numerous wealth-related rankings and lists. Forbes has consistently included her among the world's wealthiest individuals and among the richest women globally. In 2019, she was identified by Forbes as the richest person in the state of Virginia. In 2023, Forbes ranked her as the fourth-richest woman in the world with an estimated fortune of $38.3 billion. By 2025, she continued to rank among the top wealthiest individuals globally, with an estimated net worth of $42.6 billion.

In 2025, she was identified as the wealthiest person in the Greater Washington, D.C. area, ranking 22nd on the Forbes 400 list with an estimated $42.2 billion. Northern Virginia Magazine in 2023 profiled her as one of four billionaires who call Northern Virginia home, alongside Pamela Mars-Wright, Daniel D'Aniello, and William Conway Jr.

Her service on the board of the American Battlefield Trust reflects recognition of her contributions to historic preservation. She has also served on the Board of Trustees of Miss Hall's School.

Legacy

Jacqueline Mars's position as a co-owner of Mars, Incorporated places her among the most significant figures in the history of American family business. The Mars family's multigenerational stewardship of their privately held company represents one of the longest-running and most successful family enterprise stories in American corporate history. Mars, Inc. has grown from a small candy-making operation in the early twentieth century to a global corporation with operations in confectionery, pet care, food products, and other sectors, with the company headquartered in McLean, Virginia.

The Mars family's decision to keep the company private—eschewing public stock offerings and the attendant disclosure requirements—has been a defining characteristic of the enterprise. This approach has allowed the family, including Jacqueline Mars, to maintain direct control over the company's direction while simultaneously building one of the largest family fortunes in the world. The family has been recognized as one of the top ten wealthiest families globally.

Jacqueline Mars's involvement in land conservation, particularly the placement of her Meredyth Farm property under a permanent conservation easement, reflects a commitment to preserving the rural character of Virginia's landscape. Her work with the American Battlefield Trust and her receipt of the Heritage Award from the Foundation for the National Archives further demonstrate her engagement with the preservation of American cultural and historical heritage.

As one of the wealthiest women in the world and one of the most prominent billionaires in the Greater Washington region, Jacqueline Mars occupies a singular position in American business and philanthropy.