The supermarket king, the man who revived iconic American brands, and the West Coast real estate mogul: From Nisyros, Evia, and Arcadia to the United States and the Forbes billionaire rankings
For many Greeks, especially in the decades following World War II, America represented the promised land. Hundreds of thousands of families and individuals began the transatlantic journey to the United States with little more than a few coins in their pockets, working mostly as laborers and chasing the possibility of a better life.
Trying to explain the mindset of America’s working class, American writer John Steinbeck wrote in his 1960 essay A Primer on the Thirties that very few people identified themselves as proletarians, since “everyone was temporarily embarrassed capitalists.” This idea lies close to the core of the American Dream.
The belief that every person, regardless of their social or economic starting point, can achieve financial prosperity, social mobility, and a better life through hard work, talent, and perseverance has shaped American identity for generations.
For decades, the American Dream attracted millions of immigrants to the United States, who believed they would find greater opportunities than those available in their countries of origin.
In this vast country of countless possibilities, the dream has turned into a nightmare for many, with millions living in conditions of absolute or relative poverty.
However, there is also a group of people, including Greek immigrants, who took advantage of opportunities that came their way and built fortunes worth billions of dollars.
Among them are John Catsimatidis, Dean Metropoulos, and George Marcus, who are included in Forbes’ 2026 ranking of the wealthiest immigrant billionaires in the United States, with a combined fortune exceeding $10 billion.
The latest ranking includes a record 144 immigrant billionaires with a combined wealth of $2.2 trillion, compared with 125 billionaires worth $1.3 trillion in the previous year’s list.
Immigrants now represent nearly 15% of all American billionaires and account for roughly one quarter of the total wealth held by this group.
In fact, three of the ten richest people in the world are immigrants living in the United States: South African-born Elon Musk, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, who was born in Russia, and Nvidia co-founder Jensen Huang, born in Taiwan.
Together, the three represent more than 60% of the total wealth of all immigrant billionaires included on the list.
John Catsimatidis: The supermarket king
Born in 1948 on the island of Nisyros, John Catsimatidis arrived in New York as an infant and grew up in a small apartment in Harlem.
While studying at New York University (NYU), he worked as an employee at a grocery store. However, he left his studies after being given the opportunity to acquire a stake in the store where he worked.
In 1969, he opened his first grocery store, and by the age of 25 he had built a network of 10 Red Apple stores.
Today, he is best known as the owner of Gristedes, the New York supermarket chain.
At the same time, he owns United Refining, a Pennsylvania-based oil refining company that he acquired while it was under bankruptcy protection, as well as a significant real estate portfolio in New York and other parts of the United States.
Catsimatidis is also widely known for his political involvement.
A longtime supporter and donor to the Republican Party, he ran for mayor of New York City in 2013 with the slogan “I’m the billionaire next door,” although he failed to secure the Republican nomination.
He later considered running again for mayor in 2021, and in 2022 explored a possible campaign for Governor of New York, but ultimately decided against entering either race.
More recently, he has criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Catsimatidis argues that proposals such as publicly owned supermarkets and higher taxes could encourage capital and businesses to leave the city, creating uncertainty for the business community.
Before Mamdani’s election, Catsimatidis had stated that he would consider closing or selling Gristedes if the new mayor’s policies were implemented.
He also warned that if taxes increased in New York City, he would consider moving the company headquarters to New Jersey.
According to Forbes, Catsimatidis has a net worth of $4.8 billion and ranks 53rd among the wealthiest immigrants in the United States.
Dean Metropoulos: The man who revived iconic American brands
Dean C. Metropoulos was born in Hranous, Arcadia. He moved to the United States with his family in 1956 at the age of 10, settling in Watertown, Massachusetts.
He made his first acquisition in the United States at the age of 32, purchasing a cheese company in Vermont, his wife’s home state.
Known for revitalizing iconic products such as Twinkies and Hostess Brands, Metropoulos built his reputation by acquiring, restructuring, and successfully selling historic American brands through his investment firm Metropoulos & Co.
His portfolio has included companies and brands such as Chef Boyardee, Pabst Blue Ribbon, and Bumble Bee Tuna.
In 2013, together with investment firm Apollo, he acquired Hostess Brands, helping return the company to the stock market several years later. A decade after the acquisition, Hostess Brands was purchased by J.M. Smucker Co. for $5.6 billion.
In 2026, Metropoulos expanded his business presence by acquiring a 5% stake in the NFL’s New England Patriots, strengthening his footprint in professional sports.
He ranks 56th on Forbes’ list of wealthiest immigrants, with an estimated fortune of $4.3 billion.
George Marcus: The West Coast real estate mogul
George Marcus was born in Evia, Greece, as George Moutsanas. At the age of four, he immigrated to the United States with his parents.
For more than four decades, Marcus has been active in the real estate sector in the San Francisco Bay Area and is considered one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the American property market.
The largest part of his wealth comes from his 35% ownership stake in Marcus & Millichap, the publicly traded real estate company he founded in 1971. The company specializes in commercial real estate across the United States and Canada and has grown into one of the largest players in the sector.
Marcus also owns approximately 3% of Essex Property Trust, a real estate investment trust (REIT) he helped establish, which owns a portfolio of more than 60,000 apartments along the West Coast of the United States.
In addition, he maintains stakes in several private real estate and investment companies, including SummerHill Housing Group and Pacific Urban Residential, further expanding his presence in the American property market.
According to Forbes, Marcus ranks 118th among the wealthiest immigrants in the United States, with an estimated fortune of $1.6 billion.
Content Manager: Ambassador Mykonos Promo Kostas Skagias
Photo credit: Walter Martin