Eau Claire’s own John Menard has climbed higher on Forbes magazine’s annual list of the world’s billionaires. According to the rankings, which were published in early March, Menard is worth an estimated $7 billion, making him the 53rd richest American and the 166th wealthiest human on the planet. That’s up considerably from a few years ago: On the 2011 billionaires list, Menard was ranked 196th with a mere $5.2 billion, and just last September the magazine placed him at 56th on its U.S.-only Forbes 400 wealth list with $6 billion to his name. (Remember, these are estimates.) According to the magazine’s profile, the Menards chain has 273 stores and an estimated $8.8 billion annual revenue. The bottom line: You may be saving big money at Menards, but the found is making big money, too.