Although he was born amid a civil war, Marcus Lemonis grew up to become a renowned businessman who spearheaded various companies, such as Camping World, The House Boardshop, and Gander RV. He also stars in CNBC’s The Profit and has a show on HGTV. As of 2023, Marcus Lemonis has a net worth of $1 billion.
Early Life
Marcus Anthony Lemonis was born on November 16, 1973, during a civil war in Beirut, Lebanon. He was originally named Ricardo by his biological parents, Abdallel and Nadia, who left him at an orphanage when he was just four days old.
As an infant, he was adopted by a Miami, Florida-based couple named Sophia and Leo Lemonis. Through this, he became a great nephew to Anthony Abraham, an executive of two massive Chevrolet dealerships.
Abraham exposed Marcus to the automotive business at a young age. However, after graduating from Christopher Columbus High School, the young man tried his hand at political science at Marquette University and got his degree in 1995.
Business Career
Shortly after graduating, the Lebanese-American made a Democratic bid for a spot in the Florida House of Representatives. However, he failed and decided to work in one of Anthony Abraham’s dealerships.
This led him to befriend the famed car businessman Lee Iacocca, who advised him to purchase Holiday RV Superstores. In 2004, he started buying recreational vehicle dealerships through a firm he co-founded, FreedomRoads.
Two years later, the startup merged with Camping World, which also merged with Good Sam Enterprises in 2011. In 2017, the firm acquired Gander Outdoors and The House Boardshop. Lemonis was chosen to be the CEO of all of these companies.
Television Career
Marcus Lemonis’ television debut came on the Celebrity Apprentice on NBC and appeared in two episodes of the show. In 2012, he made an appearance on ABC’s Secret Millionaire, visiting Miami to offer support to local businesses.
The following year, CNBC gave him his own show, The Profit, where he invested in losing but still profitable small businesses. In 2017, he co-produced The Partner to search for people to help him manage his companies in The Profit.
However, in 2021, Marcus was accused of harming small businesses instead of helping them. The Profit was canceled as Marcus’ contract expired and CNBC moved on. Later this year, he will star in “The Renovator,” a new home improvement show on HGTV.
Net Worth and Earnings
Marcus’s main source of wealth is his RV empire, which he later turned into one of America’s biggest outdoor gear providers. As CEO and chairman, he owns over 30 million shares in Camping World.
He earns extra income as a TV personality. However, his exact salary per episode hasn’t been revealed yet. Still, it’s a considerable addition to Marcus Lemonis’ $500 million net worth.
Personal Life
In 2003, Lemonis married fellow entrepreneur Ila Penfold. When their relationship got rocky, Marcus dated Bethenny Frankel, a star on The Real Housewives of New York. He divorced his first wife Ila in 2017.
A year later, the RV mogul made Roberta “Bobbi” Raffel his wife. The pair reside in two properties; one is located in Ponte Vedra, Florida and the other is in Montecito, California. Marcus is reportedly deaf in his right ear.
