Fernando De Leon

Fernando De Leon (born October 1, 1978) is a Mexican American billionaire businessman, investor, and philanthropist. He is the founder and chief executive officer of Leon Capital Group, a real estate firm headquartered in Dallas, Texas. In 2025, De Leon received the Horatio Alger Award in recognition of his achievements as a Distinguished American. In April 2026, Forbes named De Leon No. 40 on its inaugural Forbes Self-Made 250 list, recognizing him among the greatest living self-made Americans. As of March 2026, Forbes valued De Leon's net worth at US$3.1 billion.

Early life and education De Leon was born in Brownsville, Texas, United States, and raised in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico with his parents and five older siblings. He attended school in Brownsville, where he learned English. At the age of 12, De Leon represented South Texas in the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. He graduated from Saint Joseph Academy in Brownsville in 1997 and went on to receive a scholarship to attend Harvard College where he graduated cum laude in 2001. Career As a teenager, De Leon used his bi-lingual skills as a translator for American developers building in Mexico under new NAFTA regulations.

In 2015, De Leon and his business partners started Crexi, a commercial real estate data platform. As of 2025, Crexi had over three million monthly users and is the company with the highest valuation owned by Leon Capital Group.

Personal life and philanthropy In April 2022, his foundation launched the De Leon Scholars Program, which awarded US$1 million for tuition assistance for students attending Saint Joseph Academy. This grant was the largest in the school's history.

In 2025, De Leon received the Horatio Alger Award, which honors individuals who overcame adversity in reaching their achievements.

Awards and honors In April 2026, Forbes named De Leon No. 40 on its inaugural Forbes Self-Made 250 list, titled "The Greatest Living Self-Made Americans."