Dr. Michael DeBakey, a Lebanese-American, was born in Louisiana, but became a medical pioneer while working in Houston, Texas. Dr. DeBakey is credited with developing the artificial heart, as well as other medical innovations.

Dr. Benjy Brooks was the first female pediatric surgeon in Texas. Born in Lewisville, Texas, Brooks always aspired to become a doctor. After earning a master’s degree from North Texas State Teacher’s College, Brooks taught high school science for four years.

Brooks then decided to enter medical school at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. She completed her medical degree in 1944.

Dr. Brooks became one of the first females to complete the surgery department at Harvard. After working in different hospitals across the United States and Scotland, Dr. Brooks returned to Texas where she became the first woman pediatric surgeon.

Michael Dell was born in Houston, Texas. He is the founder and CEO of Dell Inc. Dell started his business when he was 19 years old with $1,000. His company is one of the world’s largest sellers of personal computers. Forbes lists Dell as the 41st richest person in the world.

Before Michael Dell made his fortune with computers, Howard Hughes, a native Texan, was one of the wealthiest people in the world. Howard Hughes was born in Humble, Texas. After losing both parents as a teenager, Hughes inherited nearly one million dollars; he later took ownership of his father’s business. Hughes would go on to become involved in numerous career endeavors.

Hughes became a movie producer in the 1920s, after a relative introduced him to screenwriting. He went on to produce more than 20 films.

Hughes was an aviator, and created a company to design airplanes in 1932. In 1944, Hughes won a government contract to create one of the largest planes ever made, the “Spruce Goose.” Hughes died a billionaire in 1976.

Much like Howard Hughes, Mark Cuban is a wealthy Texan. Cuban was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but moved to Texas in the 1980s. During college, Cuban owned a variety of businesses. Later he owned a chain of theaters and Internet startups.

Cuban started his own software company; he later sold the company for $6 million. Cuban then created Broadcast.com with business partners, an Internet radio site that streamed live sports events. The business was sold in one year to Yahoo for nearly 6 million dollars.

Cuban’s love for sports led him to purchase the Dallas Mavericks, a professional basketball team, in 2000. Cuban acted in several movies and started working in television on ABC’s Shark Tank.