Howard Buffett Age, Net Worth, Wife, And Kids: Who Is Berkshire's New Chairman?

When Warren Buffett finally named his successor, the internet did a collective double-take. It wasn’t a Wall Street titan or a flashy hedge fund manager. It was Howard Graham Buffett, his eldest son—a man who once drove a tractor for a living. If you’re picturing a boardroom filled with suits, think again. Howard, 70, is more likely found in a dusty field than a corner office, and that’s exactly why Berkshire Hathaway chose him.

Let’s get the basics out of the way. Howard Buffett’s net worth is estimated at a cool $300 million—chump change compared to his father’s $130 billion, but still enough to buy a small Caribbean island. He’s been on the board since 1993, but the real shocker? He’s a farmer. Yes, the man who will oversee a $900 billion conglomerate spends his days planting soybeans in Illinois. Talk about a plot twist.

Age is just a number, but Howard’s age—70—is a strategic choice. Warren, now 94, famously said he wanted a chairman who would “think differently.” Howard’s not chasing quarterly earnings; he’s chasing sustainable agriculture. He runs the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, which has donated over $500 million to food security and conflict zones. Think of him as the anti-CEO: no yacht, no private island, just a passion for soil and seeds.

His wife? That’s Devon Buffett, a former flight attendant who shares his love for small-town life. They live on a farm in central Illinois, where Devon tends to rescue animals—goats, dogs, the occasional stray cat. No Kardashian feuds here. Just quiet mornings and long dinners. And kids? Howard has three children from a previous marriage: Howard III, Andrew, and William. None are being groomed for Berkshire’s throne. The lesson? You don’t need a dynasty to run an empire.

But wait—what qualifies a farmer to chair Berkshire? It’s not about balance sheets. It’s about culture. Warren built Berkshire on trust and long-term thinking, two things Howard embodies. He once said, “I’m not smart enough to run a company like that,” which is exactly why he’s perfect. He knows what he doesn’t know. That’s rarer than a unicorn in finance.

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Practical tip: Ever felt pressure to have a “sexy” job? Howard proves you don’t. He took over his father’s farm at 30, borrowed money, and built it into a 1,000-acre operation. His career mantra? Stay curious and stay grounded. Next time you’re tempted to fake a passion for crypto, remember the man who grows corn and runs a $900 billion company. Authenticity wins.

The Real Job: Chairman of the Long Game

Howard’s age—70—also signals a shift. He’s not a 40-year-old visionary; he’s a seasoned caretaker. His job isn’t to reinvent the wheel; it’s to keep the car on the road. Berkshire’s 60+ operating businesses—from Geico to Dairy Queen—need a steady hand, not a rockstar. As Warren once quipped, “I want someone who won’t do anything stupid.”

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Cultural reference time: Remember the movie The Big Short? The bankers who crashed the economy were all ego. Howard is the opposite. He’s more Michael Scott from The Office—well-meaning, slightly awkward, but deeply moral. In a world of Elon Musks and Sam Bankman-Frieds, that’s refreshing. Humility might be his superpower.

So, What Does He Do All Day?

Before the big news, Howard’s routine was simple: wake at 5:30 AM, check soil moisture, fix a tractor, then study global hunger data. He’s written books on conservation and speaks Swahili from years of work in Africa. Now add board meetings to that mix. But don’t expect him to swap his overalls for a suit. He’s been photographed at Berkshire meetings in a polo shirt and jeans. Practical tip: Dress for the job you want, but always be ready to get your hands dirty.

Fun fact: Howard once gave a TED talk where he said his father taught him to “never ask for a job you can’t do.” That’s why he turned down the CEO role. As chairman, he’s the guardian of the culture, not the operator. Think of him as the lighthouse keeper, not the captain. He ensures the ship doesn’t hit rocks.

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The Kids: No Nepotism Here

Howard’s three sons are all grown and working in fields far from Berkshire. One is a filmmaker, another a photographer, the third a teacher. No Ivy League business degrees. No trust-fund swagger. They inherited their father’s work ethic, not his portfolio. Lesson for parents: The greatest legacy you can leave isn’t money—it’s values. Let your kids find their own soil to till.

Warren himself is a frugal legend. He still lives in the Omaha house he bought in 1958 for $31,500. Howard echoes that simplicity. His net worth? Tied up in farmland and philanthropy. He’s not sitting on a throne of gold; he’s sitting on a tractor. And that, strangely, is why investors trust him.

Howard Graham Buffett ~ Complete Biography with [ Photos | Videos ]

What This Means for You

We live in an age of hustle culture. We’re told to be “disruptors” and “thought leaders.” Howard Buffett is a quiet rebellion. He spent 40 years being a good farmer and a good human. Now he’s chairman of the world’s fifth-largest company. The takeaway: Slow and steady doesn’t just win the race—it sometimes owns the racetrack.

Practical tip for your daily grind: Stop chasing the shiny thing. Find your version of “farming”—that thing you’d do even if no one paid you. For Howard, it’s soil. For you, it might be teaching, cooking, or fixing bikes. Do that well. The rest, like a sudden promotion or a fat retirement, will follow in its own time.

So next time you see a news headline about a billionaire’s son, don’t roll your eyes. Howard Buffett is proof that character still counts. He didn’t inherit the throne; he inherited the tendrils—the deep, invisible roots that keep the whole tree upright. And in a world that’s all about flashy branches, that’s a quiet kind of wisdom we could all use. Go plant something, even if it’s just a better habit.