Mellody Hobson is an American businesswoman best known as the president of Ariel Investments and the current Chair of the Board of Directors of DreamWorks Animation. Her notoriety grew when she became the first African-American woman to lead The Economic Club of Chicago in 2017.
Quick Facts
| Celebrated Name: | Mellody Hobson |
|---|---|
| Real Name/Full Name: | Mellody Hobson |
| Gender: | Female |
| Age: | 54 years old |
| Birth Date: | 3 April 1969 |
| Birth Place: | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Nationality: | American |
| Height: | 1.66 m |
| Weight: | 56 kg |
| Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
| Marital Status: | Married |
| Wife/Spouse (Name): | George Lucas (m. 2013) |
| Children: | Yes (Everest Hobson Lucas) |
| Dating/Girlfriend (Name): | N/A |
| Profession: | Businesswoman |
| Net Worth in 2024: | $12 million |
| Last Updated: | October 2024 |
Mellody Hobson Biography
Mellody Hobson was born in the city of Chicago, Illinois, in 1969. This businesswoman attended Ogden Elementary School before graduating from St. Ignatius College Prep High School.
Later, she appeared at Princeton University, where she graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.
During the year 2006, she began dating film producer and director George Lucas, whom she met at a business conference. She and Lucas announced their engagement in 2013, and they married the following year. This couple has a daughter named Everest Hobson Lucas, who was born through surrogacy in 2013.
Mellody Hobson Age, Height, Weight
Mellody Hobson was born on April 3, 1969, and is 54 years old as of 2024. Her height is 1.66 meters and her weight is 56 kilograms.
Career
Mellody Hobson began her professional career as an intern at Ariel Investments after graduating from Princeton. Later, she rose through the ranks to become the firm’s senior vice president and marketing manager.
In the year 2000, Hobson rose to become the CEO of Ariel, a Chicago-based investment firm that manages more than $10 billion in assets. Furthermore, it is regarded as one of the largest African American-owned money management and mutual fund firms in the United States.
This businesswoman serves as the Chairperson of the Ariel Investment Trust Board of Trustees as well as the Chairperson of DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. She is also a regular contributor to CBS This Morning’s financial concerns, as well as a spokesperson for the annual Ariel/Schwab Black Investor Survey.
Hobson works for a number of organizations, including the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, the Chicago Public Education Fund, and the Sundance Institute. Moreover, she is well-known for her roles as the director of Estée Lauder Companies Inc., Starbucks Corporation, and DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc.
Vanessa L. Williams based her character, Courtney Paige, a self-made entrepreneur, on Hobson, having learned about her from Hobson’s TED talks. She most recently guest-hosted CBS Sunday Morning’s yearly “Money Issue” episode in August of 2017.
Mellody Hobson has been recognized in publications such as Time’s 2015 Time 100 List (the magazine’s yearly list of the one hundred most influential people in the world), Working Women Magazine’s “20 Under 30” (1992), and Ebony magazine’s “20 Leaders of the Future” (1992).
Mellody Hobson’s Net Worth In 2024
Mellody Hobson’s net worth is estimated to be $12 million as of February 2024. Her business career has provided her with the majority of her wealth. She has served as President and Director of several companies.
After joining Ariel Investments, LLC, she rose to the positions of Senior Vice President and Director of Marketing. Hobson became President in the year 2000, overseeing approximately $3 billion in assets.
She is also well-known as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Ariel Mutual Funds. She also serves on the boards of several organizations, including the Sundance Institute and the Chicago Public Library.
She made a good living as a Director for Groupon, the Starbucks Corporation, and Estee Lauder. She is also the Chairman of Dreamworks Animation SKG, Inc. and frequently appears as a guest commentator on “Good Morning America.” Mellody Hobson is one of those powerful and successful women who have made a name for herself as a businesswoman despite the challenges.
Times magazine named her one of the world’s most influential people based on her bold career moves. She excelled at various positions such as director, president, and chairman.
