I always marvel when I read about a modest person who leaves an extraordinary estate to charities or family members. I call them the “silent millionaires” because they led quiet, unassuming lives while they steadily accumulated wealth. Most of their friends and family members had no idea that they were in the company of a very wealthy person.

Recently, I learned about the latest silent millionaire — Mr. Ronald Read from Vermont. These two articles explain how the 92-year old janitor amassed $8 million. If you are an investor, you might spend a few minutes and learn a few tips from Mr. Read’s investment strategy.

The remarkable life and lessons of the $8 million janitor

You may have read about the remarkable life and times of Ronald Read. He was the gas station attendant and lifelong resident of Windham County, Vt., who had quietly accumulated a portfolio worth a fortune. As the Brattleboro ­Reformer reported earlier this year, Read died last June at age 92. Despite his relatively modest wages, he left an estate with “stock holdings and property” valued at nearly $8 million. His bequest was to leave most of it to the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and Brooks Memorial ­Library.   See more…

How Did a Janitor Amass $8 Million? The Same Way You Can

The name Ronald Read might not mean too much to you — yet — but it certainly does to Vermont’s Brooks Memorial Library and Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, which received gifts totaling $6 million. They came not from a titan of industry or big-name philanthropist, but from the estate of Ronald Read, who worked as a janitor and gas station attendant. Read died last year at the age of 92, with an estate valued near $8 million. See more…