In this year's Insider Media Rich List for Yorkshire, many of the individuals making the most money have self-made backgrounds, often starting from modest beginnings.
For instance, Paul Sykes, who developed Meadowhall, left school without any qualifications. Similarly, Steve Parkin was a coal miner before he founded the logistics company Clipper.
Graham Kirkham, adopted as a baby, didn't do well in school and couldn't become an RAF pilot. So instead, he entered the furniture industry and made a fortune with the sofa retailer DFS.
Some of these successful individuals also continue to work well into their later years, like Malcolm Healey, who launched Wren Kitchens in his mid-60s.
Wren Kitchens generated £1.1 billion in revenue last year, and now employs over 7,100 people, creating numerous jobs in the region.
Wren also made a significant contribution to the economy, paying over £17 million in corporation tax and an additional £20 million in employers' National Insurance last year, along with millions more in various other taxes.
As we round out 2024, here are the richest people in the region and how they made their success.
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5. Carol Healey and family, 78 (£886m)
Property developer Eddie Healey teamed up with Paul Sykes to build Sheffield’s Meadowhall shopping centre. Healey, the brother of kitchen tycoon Malcolm Healey, died three years ago. His widow Carol and her children still own two retail parks. Their main investment company, SPH 2011, shows wealth of £222.4m | NationalWorld
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6. John Jakes, 68 (£800m)
Jakes paid himself a £48m dividend from his Keighley-based stairlift manufacturer Acorn Stairlifts last year – taking his payouts to more than £250m over the past 10 years. Starting out as a repair man, Jakes only went into making his own models when replacement parts became hard to find. Jakes also owns a stake in Dignity, a leading chain of funeral directors. His son James is a racing driver and competed in the United States’ IndyCar series | Getty Images
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7. Paul Sykes, 81 (£775m)FILE PIC: Paul Sykes in his Beech Villa offices, Harrogate.
This coal miner’s son began his entrepreneurial endeavours with scrap metal, dismantling old buses and in time exporting parts to the Far East. By his 40s he had moved into property, developing offices, warehouses and industrial space including in London’s Docklands. He joined forces with the late Eddie Healey to build Sheffield’s Meadowhall, selling up for £1.17bn in 1999. Sykes now lives in Jersey | NationalWorld
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8. Philip Meeson, 77 (£730m)
An RAF pilot and acrobatics ace in his youth, Meeson later transformed a small freight business into the Jet2 holiday group. The Leeds-based outfit is now the UK’s third largest airline. Rising profits have helped the shares gain altitude over the past year and the Meeson holdings are now worth £600.9m – £112.4m more than a year ago. He should also have received almost £5m of dividends. Meeson retired in 2023 | YPN