What's the first word that comes to mind when you hear the name Bill Gates? Billions, perhaps? The self-made billionaire owned the title of World's Richest Person [1] for 13 years until this year, when another household name, Warren Buffett, took it away. When the announcement was made back in March, Buffett's fortune was valued at $62 billion compared to Gates's $58 billion.

Both billionaires likely took a hit, along with the rest of us, when the stock market spiraled downward. Still, Warren Buffett stepped in to boost investor confidence when he bought $5 billion of Goldman Sachs [2] shares during a crucial time for the firm and the whole financial services industry.

Warren Buffett's admirable business mind made him the billionaire he is today, and has earned him a place in the Best of 2008 [3].

Source [4]