Malone family

The Malone family currently ranks 203rd on Forbes list of billionaires due to John Malone’s ownership stake in Liberty Global, a multinational telecommunications giant. Liberty Global is the world’s largest international television and broadband internet company as well as the largest cable and broadband internet service provider outside the United States. John Malone is married to Leslie; they live in Colorado wit with their two children. Although Liberty Global was formed in 2005, John Malone’s tech pioneer roots date back further than that. In 1973 at the age of 29, Malone became CEO of the cable TV firm TCI. He helped build TCI into a major player alongside the company’s Bob Magness. Three years after Magness’ death in 1996, Malone sold TCI to AT&T for more than $50 billion. Malone earned the nickname the “Cable Cowboy” for his renegade style in corporate deal-making. However, telecommunications is not the only interest of the Malone family. They own cattle ranches in New Mexico, Wyoming and Colorado. In 2011, John Malone became the largest individual private landowner in the United States, surpassing Ted Turner. John Malone’s son, Evan D. Malone, joined the board of Liberty Media in 2008 and is in position to one day succeed his father as Chairman of Liberty Global.