Joel Greenblatt and Jim Farley: Age, Family, Career and Net Worth

Joel Greenblatt and Jim Farley often show up in the same search, yet no public record links them. One is a value investor and teacher. The other runs Ford. This profile covers each man’s age, family, career and net worth, then compares them. Figures come from company biographies and reference entries, and estimates are labeled as such.

Profile Bio

Why People Search Both Names

Readers likely pair these names because one explains how to value a business while the other runs a famous one. No partnership, joint project or shared stage turned up in my research, so this guide treats the pair as a comparison, not a relationship. That keeps rumors out and facts in.

Greenblatt’s Age and Background

Joel Greenblatt was born on December 13, 1957, in Great Neck, New York, which makes him 68 until his birthday in December. He studied at the Wharton School, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1979 and an MBA in 1980. Little else about his early life is documented in reliable sources, and he keeps his personal life largely private.

Greenblatt’s Career

Greenblatt started Gotham Capital in 1985 with $7 million, much of it from Michael Milken. Through 1994 the fund returned about 30% a year after fees. It handed back roughly $500 million to outside investors in 1995 and stayed closed until 2009. Gotham Asset Management became its successor in 2008, with Greenblatt and Robert Goldstein as co-chief investment officers.

The Magic Formula and His Books

His book The Little Book That Beats the Market introduced the Magic Formula, which looks for good companies at cheap prices using earnings yield and return on capital. It became a New York Times bestseller with over 300,000 copies sold, and a 2010 update followed. His earlier book, You Can Be a Stock Market Genius, appeared in 1997.

Teaching and Giving Back

Greenblatt has taught value investing at Columbia Business School since 1996. He co-founded the Value Investors Club, where approved investors share ideas, and helped start the Success Academy charter schools in Harlem in 2006. He also helped build a website that gathers ideas to support cancer research.

Greenblatt’s Family and Net Worth

One secondary source says he is married to Julia and has five children: Jordan, Melissa, Rebecca, Jonathan and Matthew. I couldn’t confirm that with a primary source. Net worth estimates range from about $210 million to $500 million. Neither figure is verified, since he has never published his finances. Treat both as rough estimates.

Farley’s Age and Roots

Jim Farley was born on June 10, 1962, so he is 64. His interest in cars began with his grandfather, who started at Henry Ford’s River Rouge Plant in 1914. He studied at Georgetown University and UCLA. Sources disagree on his birthplace, so it’s left out here. Reference entries list him as a cousin of the comedians Chris, Kevin and John Farley.

Farley’s Path to Ford

Before joining Ford in November 2007, Farley was general manager of Lexus at Toyota. At Ford he became the first single global leader of marketing, sales and service in 2010, then ran Europe from 2015, where Ford reported record profitability in 2016. He later led Global Markets and New Businesses, then served as chief operating officer.

Farley as CEO

Farley became CEO on October 1, 2020, succeeding Jim Hackett, and added the title of president of Ford Model e in 2022. He split the company into three businesses: Ford Blue for gas and hybrid vehicles, Model e for electric vehicles and software, and Ford Pro for commercial customers. Check Ford’s website for his current status before quoting him.

Racing and Harley-Davidson

Outside the office, Farley collects and races vintage cars, including a 1965 Ford GT40, a 1966 427 Cobra and a 1978 Lola 298. He also sits on the board of Harley-Davidson. The hobby fits the job, since he spends his free time with the kind of machines his industry builds.

Farley’s Family and Net Worth

Ford’s biography says Farley and his wife, Lia, have three children. He shares little else about family life. Net worth estimates range from a few million dollars to over $100 million, which is too wide to trust. One tracker listed his direct holding at about 1.6 million Ford shares. Ford’s SEC proxy statement is the reliable source on pay.

Height, Looks and Social Media

I found no reliable, sourced height or physical measurements for either man, so I won’t repeat fan-site guesses. Both usually appear in business clothes at public events. One profile site lists Farley’s X account as @jimfarley98, though I couldn’t verify it. For Greenblatt, his firm’s site, gothamfunds.com, is the safer source.

Fun Facts

• Gotham Capital began with just $7 million.
• Greenblatt’s Value Investors Club shares investor research online.
• Farley races classic cars on tracks around the world.
• Farley is related to a famous family of comedians.

How They Compare

Greenblatt chooses where investors’ money goes across many stocks, while Farley steers one large company where a single bad launch can hurt for years. Both think hard about returns on capital and prefer clear structures. Greenblatt’s formula rewards companies that earn well on invested money, and Farley’s three-business setup shows where Ford does.

Final Thoughts

Joel Greenblatt and Jim Farley share a search phrase, not a known link. Their careers still make a useful pair: a teacher of value investing and the leader of a major automaker. For more, read The Little Book That Beats the Market and Ford’s latest annual report, and treat net worth figures as estimates. This is general information, not financial advice.

Must Read: Phebe Novakovic and Brian Moynihan: Careers, Pay and Personal Lives

FAQs

Are Joel Greenblatt and Jim Farley connected?

I found no public partnership, joint project or shared company. They appear together mainly because people search for finance and auto leaders side by side.

How old are Joel Greenblatt and Jim Farley?

Greenblatt was born in December 1957 and is 68. Farley was born in June 1962 and is 64.

What is Joel Greenblatt best known for?

He is known for founding Gotham Capital and for the Magic Formula in The Little Book That Beats the Market. He has also taught value investing at Columbia Business School since 1996.

What does Jim Farley do?

He has been CEO of Ford Motor Company since October 2020. He also serves on the Harley-Davidson board and races vintage cars.

What are their net worths?

Neither man has published a verified figure, and online estimates differ a lot. Ford’s SEC filings are the best source for Farley’s stock and pay, and Gotham’s filings show what its funds hold.