Mario Gabelli, founder and CEO of GAMCO Investors, is one of Wall Street’s most respected value investors, known for applying fundamental research and private-market valuation techniques to public equities. After beginning his career at Loeb, Rhoades & Co., Gabelli launched GAMCO in 1977 and built a multibillion-dollar asset management firm specializing in value, merger arbitrage, and global equity strategies. His disciplined approach emphasizes cash flow, asset value, and management quality, often coupled with active engagement in corporate governance. Beyond finance, Gabelli is a major philanthropist and art collector, supporting education, cultural institutions, and charitable causes worldwide.

Marc Nathanson, cable television pioneer and philanthropist, helped shape the modern media landscape as a founding figure in the early cable industry. As founder of Falcon Cable TV in the 1970s, he built and later sold one of the largest cable operators in the United States, playing a formative role in the expansion of broadband and pay television. Nathanson went on to serve as U.S. ambassador to Norway and became a major force in philanthropy through the Nathanson Family Foundation, supporting education, public health, and cultural institutions. His career reflects a blend of entrepreneurial foresight, public service, and long-term civic impact.

Lowell Milken, cofounder of Knowledge Universe and a longtime leader in education reform and philanthropy, has built a wide-ranging career focused on improving teaching quality and expanding access to effective learning models. After an early career in law and finance, he helped develop Knowledge Universe into one of the world’s largest private education companies, spanning early childhood learning, professional development, and technology-enabled instruction. As chairman of the Milken Family Foundation, he has created nationally recognized programs such as the Milken Educator Awards and TAP: The System for Teacher and Student Advancement. Known for his strategic vision and commitment to education innovation, Milken is a defining figure in modern philanthropic efforts to strengthen America’s schools.

Leon Cooperman, founder of Omega Advisors, is one of Wall Street’s most respected value investors, known for decades of disciplined stock-picking and outspoken market commentary. After a long career at Goldman Sachs, where he led the asset management division, Cooperman launched Omega in 1991 and produced strong returns through concentrated, research-driven investing in equities and credit. Though he has since converted Omega into a family office, he remains active in markets and philanthropy, donating hundreds of millions to education, medical research, and Jewish causes. Cooperman’s blend of candor, conviction, and lifelong commitment to investing has made him a defining figure in the hedge fund era.

Kieu Hoang, Vietnamese-American entrepreneur and former refugee, built a major fortune in medical diagnostics before becoming a high-profile philanthropist and luxury lifestyle investor. After immigrating to the United States with very little, he joined Abbott Laboratories and later founded RAAS, a blood plasma and biotech company that expanded internationally and generated substantial wealth. Hoang went on to acquire and develop vineyards and wineries in Napa Valley and Malibu, combining business with culture, hospitality, and community engagement. Known for his generosity and global perspective, he has donated to health, disaster relief, and cultural causes across Vietnam and the United States.

Kenneth Feld, chairman and CEO of Feld Entertainment, has built the world’s largest producer of live family entertainment, stewarding iconic brands such as Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, Disney on Ice, Marvel Universe Live, and Monster Jam. Taking over the business from his father Irvin, Feld expanded a single circus operation into a global touring empire that stages thousands of shows annually across dozens of countries. Known for meticulous show production, operational scale, and brand partnerships with entertainment giants like Disney, Feld has shaped live family entertainment for generations while keeping the company privately held and family-led.

Joseph Steinberg, longtime chairman of Jefferies Financial Group and one of the most enduring dealmakers on Wall Street, helped guide the firm’s evolution from a diversified industrial holding company into a focused, modern financial services enterprise. Joining the predecessor company in the 1970s, Steinberg built a reputation for disciplined capital allocation, opportunistic acquisitions, and a value-driven investment philosophy that generated strong long-term returns. Over decades, he influenced Jefferies’ strategic direction, its expansion into investment banking and asset management, and oversaw major portfolio transformations. Known for his analytical rigor, understated leadership, and shareholder-oriented governance, Steinberg remains a defining figure in the firm’s history and a respected voice in American finance.

Noël Essers, longtime leader of H.Essers, has transformed the family business founded in 1928 into one of Europe’s largest logistics and transport powerhouses. Under his stewardship, the Belgian company expanded from a regional trucking operator into a multinational provider of supply-chain solutions across pharmaceuticals, chemicals, high-value goods, warehousing, and multimodal transport. Essers spearheaded decades of strategic acquisitions, large-scale infrastructure investments, and technology upgrades, positioning H.Essers as a key partner for Europe’s most demanding industries. Known for his disciplined, long-term vision and strong family-business culture, he remains one of Belgium’s most influential industrial entrepreneurs.

Christian Dumolin, chairman and co-ceo of Koramic Investment Group, is one of Belgium’s most respected industrial and investment leaders, known for transforming a traditional brick-manufacturing company into a diversified European holding with interests spanning real estate, manufacturing, financial services, and private equity. After joining the family business in the 1970s, he led its international expansion, later steering Koramic into a broad investment platform focused on long-term value creation and operational excellence. Dumolin has served on numerous corporate boards, becoming a key figure in Belgium’s entrepreneurial landscape, while his philanthropic work in culture, education, and regional development underscores his influence beyond business.

José Fanjul, vice chairman and president of Fanjul Corp, is one of the most powerful figures in the global sugar industry, helping lead the multibillion-dollar conglomerate that includes Florida Crystals, Domino Sugar, and extensive real estate and energy holdings. After the family’s exile from Cuba, Fanjul played a central role in rebuilding and expanding the business across the United States and the Caribbean, transforming it into a vertically integrated sugar and agribusiness giant. Known for his strategic political relationships, long-term operating vision, and deep philanthropic commitments—particularly in education and community development—Fanjul remains a defining force in American agribusiness and one of the most influential private industrialists in Florida.

Jorge Pérez, founder, chairman, and CEO of The Related Group, is widely known as the “Condo King of Miami,” having shaped the modern skyline of South Florida through four decades of large-scale residential development. Since launching the firm in 1979, Pérez has built tens of thousands of luxury, mixed-income, and urban revitalization units across the region, partnering with top global architects and redefining Miami as an international hub of design, culture, and luxury real estate. A major patron of the arts, Pérez played a central role in establishing the Pérez Art Museum Miami and continues to support cultural and community development across the city. His influence spans real estate, philanthropy, and the transformation of Miami into a global destination.

John Sall, cofounder and executive vice president of SAS Institute, helped transform a university statistics project into the world’s largest privately held analytics software company. An expert in statistical methods and visualization, Sall led the development of JMP, SAS’s widely adopted exploratory analysis software used across science, engineering, and industrial research. Alongside cofounder Jim Goodnight, he has championed long-term, employee-centric management and reinvestment in research over short-term profit, making SAS a model of sustainable tech growth. A major philanthropist in education, nature conservation, and science innovation, Sall’s impact spans both the global analytics industry and public access to scientific literacy.

John Paul DeJoria, cofounder of John Paul Mitchell Systems and Patrón Spirits, is the self-made billionaire whose journey from homelessness to global entrepreneurship has become one of America’s most iconic business stories. After sleeping in his car while starting Paul Mitchell in 1980, he helped turn the professional hair-care brand into a salon staple sold in more than 100 countries, later launching Patrón and redefining premium tequila worldwide. Known for his “success unshared is failure” philosophy, DeJoria has invested heavily in social entrepreneurship, environmental initiatives, and philanthropy, embodying a rare blend of luxury business leadership and mission-driven activism.

John Morris, founder of Bass Pro Shops, turned a small fishing gear corner inside his father’s liquor store into one of America’s most iconic outdoor retail empires. Launching the brand in 1972, he built Bass Pro into a destination experience, combining expansive stores, conservation messaging, and immersive outdoor attractions that attract more than 200 million visitors annually. Through acquisitions such as Cabela’s and collaborations with leading conservation groups, Morris expanded the company’s influence across retail, manufacturing, resorts, and wildlife preservation. Known for his passion for nature and customer experience, he has become a transformative force in outdoor recreation and conservation philanthropy.

John Malone, chairman of Liberty Media, is one of the most influential and strategic dealmakers in media and telecommunications, credited with shaping the cable industry and modern pay-TV economics. Often called the “Cable Cowboy,” Malone built Tele-Communications Inc. into the largest U.S. cable operator before selling it to AT&T, then expanded Liberty Media into a sprawling portfolio spanning entertainment, sports, broadband, and satellite broadcasting. Known for his complex tax-efficient structures, minority control positions, and long-term compounding strategy, Malone has influenced everything from streaming competition to global sports ownership. His low-profile persona contrasts sharply with his outsized impact on the business of media.

John W. Henry, billionaire investor and principal owner of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool FC, built his fortune as a pioneering commodities trader before reshaping the global sports industry through Fenway Sports Group. After founding the quantitative hedge fund J.W. Henry & Co., he acquired the Red Sox in 2002 and led the team to multiple World Series championships, breaking the “Curse of the Bambino.” Expanding his sports empire internationally, Henry later bought Liverpool FC, guiding the Premier League club to Champions League and English title victories. Known for his data-driven, value-focused leadership, he has become one of the most influential owners in modern professional sports.

John W. Childs, founder of private equity firm J.W. Childs Associates, is a veteran investor known for building middle-market companies into national consumer and retail brands. After leading buyout efforts at Thomas H. Lee Partners, he launched his own Boston-based firm in 1995, backing companies such as Golden Gate Capital–acquired Mattress Firm, shoe retailer K•Swiss, and consumer products businesses across food, health, and household categories. Over decades in the leveraged buyout industry, Childs became recognized for his disciplined deal selection, long-horizon operational focus, and ability to reshape underperforming companies into profitable market contenders.

John Catsimatidis, billionaire businessman and founder of the Red Apple Group, built a diversified empire spanning supermarkets, energy, real estate, and aviation. After immigrating to the United States from Greece as a child, he left college to take over a small grocery store and expanded it into the Gristedes supermarket chain, later branching into oil refining and fuel distribution through United Refining. Catsimatidis also became a major New York real estate developer, adding residential towers and mixed-use properties to his portfolio. A prominent political donor, radio host, and philanthropist, he remains one of New York’s most outspoken and influential entrepreneurial figures.

John Calamos, founder and global CIO of Calamos Investments, is a pioneering figure in convertible securities and risk-managed equity investing. After serving as a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, he launched his investment firm in 1977 with a strategy centered on convertibles—an overlooked asset class he helped bring into mainstream institutional portfolios. Under his leadership, Calamos Investments grew into a multibillion-dollar asset manager serving global institutions, public funds, and private wealth clients, while Calamos became known as a leading author and educator on volatility, capital structure, and portfolio construction. His disciplined, analytical approach has earned him a reputation as both an innovator and one of the most respected long-term investors in modern finance.

Joe Shoen, longtime chairman and CEO of AMERCO, the parent company of U-Haul, has spent decades shaping one of America’s most iconic consumer and logistics brands. Taking the helm in 1986 after a highly publicized family dispute, Shoen streamlined operations, expanded the truck and trailer fleet, and strengthened U-Haul’s nationwide network of rental centers, storage facilities, and retail locations. Under his leadership, the company grew into the dominant force in do-it-yourself moving and storage, serving millions of customers each year. Known for his frugal discipline, operational focus, and deep understanding of middle-class America, Shoen remains one of the most enduring and influential leaders in the transportation and self-storage industries.