Billionaire Erik Prince

Edgar Prince was a multibillionaire industrialist who amassed his fortune through Prince Automotive, an auto supply firm later acquired by Johnson Controls after his death. Additionally, Prince was known to make substantial donations to Christian conservative political groups such as Family Research Council.

Prince was raised in Holland Michigan, known for its annual Tulip Festival. Together with two fellow workers at a die cast machine manufacturing business he established his company in 1965 and established their die cast machine manufacturing business as his mainstay of income.

Early Life and Education

Edgar Prince hails from Holland, Michigan and attended the University of Michigan Engineering School, before selling Prince Automotive (owned and run by his family) in 1997.

He started as an engineer for Buss Machine Works in Holland before co-founding, along with two other engineers, the Prince Corporation in 1965 as a die-casting machine manufacturer and later expanded into auto parts production – employing thousands of workers at its numerous Michigan plants.

Prince also funded Project Veritas, a conservative outfit accused of spreading “organized misinformation” through its use of videos designed to discredit Democrats and left-leaning groups. James O’Keefe, a former British spy who ran Project Veritas was its leader until it was later infiltrated by the FBI. Furthermore, Prince has donated money to Republican candidates as well as conservative Christian organizations.

Professional Career

Edgar Prince was an engineer-developer-industrialist who established a highly successful manufacturing firm. Starting as a small tooling business over three decades ago, he eventually expanded it to plastic automotive trim for use in car manufacturers’ assembly lines.

His business expanded rapidly into one of the country’s leading suppliers of original equipment auto parts and his firm produced a sun visor equipped with a lighted vanity mirror that General Motors (GM) utilized in their vehicles.

He established a foundation, giving millions to religious and far right groups such as the Family Research Council. Erik Prince then founded Blackwater Worldwide; its employees died in Iraq while being displayed on TV screens. Unfortunately, Prince died at 63.

Achievement and Honors

Erik Prince-Broekhuizen founded Blackwater as part of his father Edgar’s legacy; Elsa Prince-Broekhuizen became an instrumental financial supporter of religious right through their Edgar and Elsa Prince Foundation.

Johnny and Edgar might look alike with their bright white hair and rock ‘n roll sunglasses, yet their personalities were very distinct. While Johnny immersed himself completely in one genre of music and guitar playing, Edgar had much broader interests that encompassed many musical forms and the guitar.

Edgar Winter and White Trash released several hit albums following Entrance, including Roadwork (one of the first white acts to perform at the Apollo Theater) as well as Rhythm and Blues, Cool Fool and Recycled. Additionally, Edgar also established Prince Corporation, manufacturing die cast machines in Holland Michigan.

Personal Life

Edgar Prince was an engineer who established the Prince Corporation. This business manufactured die cast machines for auto makers as well as sun visors and other interior systems for cars. Born in Holland, Michigan and attending University of Michigan to study engineering.

After graduating college, he interned in the White House under President George H.W. Bush but became disgruntled by what he perceived to be anti-gay policies in that administration. Later he developed his Christian conservative connections by contributing to Gary Bauer’s Family Research Council.

Prince later moved to Virginia Beach and established Blackwater Worldwide, which has won more than $2 billion worth of classified and unclassified government security contracts since being founded. Prince’s foundation makes substantial donations to numerous political and religious causes across Virginia Beach.

Net Worth

Erik Prince is an estimated $2.5 billion billionaire and founder of Blackwater Worldwide (later rebranded XE Services). An ex-Navy SEAL with extensive business and political ties – his younger sister Betsy DeVos is United States Secretary of Education – Erik also comes with strong political credentials.

He was hired by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi to train a 2,000-strong Somali force against piracy in the Gulf of Aden. Additionally, he set up logistics and transport company Frontier Services Group Ltd with 51% local ownership so as to not have his name appear on public documents. Furthermore, it has been reported that he worked as part of a covert CIA task force, helping insert personnel in areas where military was weak.