Charles de Ganahl Koch, born November 1, 1935 is co-owner, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Koch Industries Inc., the second-largest privately held company by revenue in the United States according to a 2010 Forbes survey.He was ranked 18th on Forbes World’s Billionaires list of 2011 (and 4th on the Forbes 400), with an estimated net worth of $25 billion, deriving from his 42% stake in Koch Industries.His brother David H. Koch, also owns 42% of Koch Industries, and serves as Executive Vice President. The brothers inherited the business from their father, Fred C. Koch, and have since expanded the business to 2,600 times its inherited size. Originally involved exclusively in oil refining and chemicals, Koch Industries has expanded to include process and pollution control equipment and technologies, polymers and fibers, minerals, fertilizers, commodity trading and services, forest and consumer products, and ranching, producing a wide variety of well-known brands, such as Stainmaster carpet, Lycra fiber, Quilted Northern tissue and Dixie paper products. Koch provides financial support for a number of public policy and charitable organizations, including the Institute for Humane Studies and the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He co-founded the Washington, DC-based Cato Institute. Through the Koch Cultural Trust, founded by Charles Koch’s wife, Elizabeth, the Koch family has also funded artistic projects and creative artists. In 2007, Koch’s book The Science of Success was published. The book describes his management philosophy, which is referred to as “Market-Based Management”. As of 2010, Koch was worth approximately $21.5 billion according to the Forbes 400 list.Koch “rarely grants media interviews and prefers to keep a low profile”.Koch has been married to his wife Liz for 38 years and has two children.Charles and his three brothers have all suffered from prostate cancer. TIME magazine included Charles and David Koch among the most influential people of 2011. According to the magazine, the list includes “activists, reformers and researchers, heads of state and captains of industry.” The article touts the brothers commitment to free-market principles, the growth and development of their business, their passion for philanthropy, and their support for liberty-minded organizations and political candidates. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia