Top Stories 2012: Dobbs Ferry's Zuckerberg IPOs Facebook

DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – The hometown boy made good with Facebook several years ago, but the May initial public offering that took the popular social media company public made Dobbs Ferry native Mark Zuckerberg one of the richest people in the world.

Mark Zuckerberg, bottom row center, grew up in Dobbs Ferry and attended Ardsley schools.
Photo Credit: *Ardsley High School Yearbook*

by Danny LoPriore

12/30/2012 12:01 a.m.

Buoyed by a growing membership and loyal base of daily users, Facebook offered stock at $38 a share on May 18 and jumped to $42 before experiencing rises and falls to a close of $38.23. First-day buyers have since lost a third of their investment, as the stock plunged to around $26 over the summer, where it remains in late December.

Zuckerberg is now reportedly worth more than $9.4 billion. After leaving Dobbs Ferry and attending Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, he attended Harvard University, but dropped out to focus on Facebook.

The 28-year-old social media whiz kid attended school in Ardsley and remains connected to the community through his family. Dr. Edward Zuckerberg is a prominent Dobbs Ferry dentist who enjoys a thriving practice.

There was more good news through the year despite the disappointing stock drop. Zuckerberg married his longtime girlfriend Priscilla Chan less than a week after the IPO, which brought Facebook $16 billion.

Zuckerberg, who now lives in Palo Alto, Calif., was named to the Forbes list of 400 richest Americans in September, climbing to 36th place.

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