Of Dutch heritage, Erik Dean Prince is an American businessman who founded the Blackwater Worldwide and is currently worth $2.4 billion. Blackwater Worldwide is the largest private military company in the world today.

Starting in 1997, Blackwater has been awarded with over $1.6 billion worth of federal contracts. The company then became the largest of the three private security companies in the State. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) awarded Blackwater with $600 million worth of classified contracts since 2001. The Barack Obama administration then granted them with  $120 million worth of United States Department of State security contract. In 2010, the new CIA awarded them with about $100 million worth of contract.

In 2007, the company was put under public scrutiny and criticisms. In 2009, he stepped down as Chairman of the Board and his tenure as chairman only lasted until 2010 when Blackwater Worldwide was sold to a group of investors.

Erik Prince was born on June 6, 1969 in Holland, Michigan. He was married to Joan Nicole Prince until the latter's death in 2003. They have four children together. A year later, he married his second wife Joanna Ruth Prince and they had three children together.