With an estimated net worth of $1.2 billion, Tom Benson is the wealthiest man in Louisiana.

Forbes Magazine says the 85-year-old Benson comes in at 1,175 on its list of 1,426 billionaires around the world.  The number of billionaires increased 16% from the last year.

In its profile of Benson, the magazine wrote:

"New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson snapped up another city sports franchise in April 2012, buying the NBA's Hornets for $338 million.

As he did with the Saints, Benson will try to turn the moribund franchise around. He has already changed the team's name to the more regionally-appropriate Pelicans.

A loyal New Orleans resident, Benson also offered to buy the Times-Picayune newspaper after its corporate owners decided to cut back the print edition to three issues per week.

His other local ventures include auto dealerships, the city's FOX television affiliate and real estate, including the newly renamed Benson Tower. He also owns a 122-foot yacht and a 2,500-acre ranch in Texas. His charitable efforts include the $20-million Tom and Gayle Benson Cancer Center."

Mexico's Carlos Slim remains the world's richest man for the fourth year in a row, while Warren Buffett dropped out of the top three for the first time since 2000. Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg saw his ranking drop 31 spots as his net worth declined by $4.2 billion.