Jacqueline Mars is a wealthy American who comes from a famous family of candy makers. Her surname strikes a chord in the heart of everyone who has a sweet tooth. Jacqueline Mars (born October 10, 1939) is an American heiress and investor. She is the daughter of Audrey Ruth (Meyer) and Forrest Mars, Sr., and granddaughter of Frank C. Mars, founders of the American candy company Mars, Incorporated. Mars, Incorporated is known for manufacturing several popular confectionery items like Milky Way, Snickers and the Mars bar. Mars is one of the top 5 largest privately held companies in America.

Fran Mars, Jacqueline's grandfather started making chocolates in the kitchen of his home. Her father expanded the business introducing innovations like malt-flavoured nougat. Although Mars has grown exponentially, it remains a family-owned business.

Jacqueline Mars graduated from the boarding school Miss Hall's School in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. She graduated from Bryn Mawr College in 1961 with a degree in anthropology.

Jacqueline Mars along with her brothers John Franklin Mars and Forrest Edward Mars Jr took over the family business after her father died in 1999. John is the CEO of the company while Mars herself was made the Corporate Vice President of Mars Inc.
Mars was active in Mars, Inc. from 1982, when she joined the company as Food Product Group President, until her retirement in 2001.

Mars made the headlines due to her driving mishap. She struck a Chrysler carrying six passengers on 4th October 2013. Among the four passengers was an 86-year-old woman who died on the scene and eight months pregnant who subsequently suffered a miscarriage. Mars pleaded guilty and expressed regret for the event.

"I can't go back in time. I can’t change what happened. I will always live with the grief and loss caused by this tragedy."

A well-known philanthropist, she serves on six boards including at the Smithsonian and the National Archives. She is benevolent and supports many charitable causes and events through her philanthropic initiative Mars Foundation. Among her philanthropic contributions are donations to National Symphony Orchestra and Australian Outback doctors. She is also one of the world’s richest horse owners and supporters and has raised over $100’000 for Virginia Horse Center and sits on the board of the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation. Mars also owns a farm that specializes in organic farming. Mars' current wealth is not just the accumulation of what was handed down to her as an heir to Mars business.

Mars has also played a pivotal role in several conservation initiatives like at the Kennedy Centre, the Washington National Opera, the National Museum and the Piedmont Environmental Council. She was also awarded the Foundation for the National Archives' Heritage Award.

"The family has always believed that the biggest contribution toward the world we want tomorrow is through the good that Mars, Inc. can do every day, and the family reinvests the vast majority of any profit made back into the company," a company spokesperson told Business Insider.

And in 2017, the company made a $1 billion investment in a sustainability program that will contribute to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement.

She worked for the company for nearly 20 years. She officially retired in 2001, but remains a co-owner and continues to serve as a strategic advisor. Her brother John owns an estimated third of Mars; her late brother Forrest Jr's. four daughters own the rest. Her son Stephen Badger serves the Board of Directors of Mars, Inc.

Jacqueline Mars owns an estimated one-third of Mars, the world's largest candymaker, founded by her grandfather. As of July 2020, Mars was ranked by Forbes as the 29th richest person in the world, with a net worth of $30 billion.

Hard work and discipline- this is what makes Jacqueline Mars one of the most successful businesswomen across the globe.

Her Sucess Mantra:
1) Don’t give up – just because an idea didn’t work out the first time, doesn’t mean it won’t work at all. Keep working on it and learn from your mistakes – could you imagine a life without Mars bars?

2) Give back – we say this constantly, but giving back is so important! The fact that Mars gives back to some causes close to her heart, especially in the equestrian world, is so heart-warming and also can make you think about your own life.

3) Dare to dream – who would have known that Mars would invest in pet food and pet care? The company that started as a candy brand developed into a multi-million dollar firm with so many possibilities!