Stuart Miller, executive chairman and co-CEO of Lennar, has spent more than four decades helping build the company into one of America’s largest homebuilders. The son of early Lennar investor Leonard Miller, he led the firm through major expansion cycles and helped shape its evolution beyond homebuilding into financial and real estate-related services. Known for long-term strategic control and deep influence over the business, Miller remains one of the most prominent figures in U.S. residential real estate.

Peter Cancro, founder and chairman of Jersey Mike’s, built one of America’s fastest-growing restaurant chains by turning a single New Jersey sandwich shop he bought at 17 into a national franchising powerhouse. Over five decades, he expanded the brand through a simple model centered on fresh-sliced subs, operator loyalty, and strong local-store economics, helping Jersey Mike’s surpass 3,000 locations. After Blackstone’s 2024 acquisition of the company at an $8 billion valuation, Cancro stepped down as CEO in 2025 but remained chairman and a significant shareholder, continuing to shape the brand’s long-term growth.

W. Nicholas Howley, cofounder and chairman of TransDigm, built one of the most successful aerospace-components companies of the modern era by focusing on highly engineered, proprietary aircraft parts with strong aftermarket economics. Since cofounding the company in 1993, Howley has helped guide TransDigm through decades of aggressive acquisition-led growth, turning a leveraged buyout of four underperforming units into a global aerospace supplier with a vast portfolio of mission-critical components. Known for disciplined capital allocation and a relentless focus on niche pricing power, he has become one of the most influential figures in aerospace manufacturing.

Terry Taylor, founder and president of Automotive Management Services, built one of the largest privately held auto retail empires in the United States by quietly assembling more than 120 dealerships across the country. Starting with a single new-car dealership in Daytona Beach in 1982, Taylor expanded through disciplined acquisitions, local operating autonomy, and an unusually low-profile style that made him one of the least visible major figures in U.S. automotive retail. His majority stake in Automotive Management Services turned him into a billionaire while preserving the company’s reputation for scale without spectacle.

Lauren B. Leichtman, cofounder and co-chairperson of the Executive Committee at Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, helped build one of the most established middle-market private equity firms through a structured investment strategy designed to combine downside protection with long-term value creation. Since cofounding LLCP in 1984 with Arthur Levine, she has played a central role in the firm’s strategic direction, management, and investment activities as it grew into a global platform stewarding about $18.1 billion of institutional capital. Leichtman is also widely recognized as a trailblazer in private equity, with Forbes identifying her as the first woman to build a billion-dollar fortune in the industry.

Arthur E. Levine, cofounder of Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, helped build one of the most established middle-market private equity firms by focusing on structured equity, downside protection, and long-term value creation. Since launching LLCP with Lauren Leichtman in 1984, Levine has played a central role in shaping the firm’s differentiated investment strategy, combining debt and equity to back founder-led and family-owned businesses across industries. Known for disciplined capital allocation and a low-profile approach, he helped scale LLCP into a global platform with decades of experience in middle-market investing.

Albert H. Nahmad, founder, chairman, and CEO of Watsco, has spent more than five decades building the company into North America’s largest distributor of air-conditioning, heating, and refrigeration equipment and parts. Since taking control in 1972, Nahmad helped transform Watsco from a modest manufacturer into a dominant HVAC/R distribution platform serving thousands of contractors through an expanding network of locations, joint ventures, and acquisitions. Known for disciplined capital allocation, long-term value creation, and steady operational execution, he has made Watsco one of the most successful compounders in industrial distribution.

William Wrigley Jr. II, former chairman and CEO of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, led the iconic chewing gum manufacturer through a period of global expansion before orchestrating its landmark $23 billion sale to Mars in 2008. A great-grandson of the company’s founder, he modernized Wrigley’s international operations and strengthened its position as the world’s dominant chewing gum brand. After leaving the company, Wrigley focused on private investing through his firm Parallel49 Equity, backing consumer and lifestyle businesses while remaining a prominent figure in American business and philanthropy.

William C. Stone, chairman and CEO of SS&C Technologies, built one of the most influential financial software and services companies serving asset managers, banks, and insurers worldwide. Since acquiring SS&C in 1986, Stone expanded the firm through relentless acquisitions and disciplined integration, transforming it into a global platform providing investment management software, fund administration, and financial operations services. Known for aggressive dealmaking and operational efficiency, he has positioned SS&C as a critical infrastructure provider to the global financial industry.

Jeff Krasnoff, cofounder and managing principal of Rialto Capital Management, built a major real estate investment and asset management platform focused on distressed debt, commercial mortgages, and opportunistic property strategies. After launching Rialto in the aftermath of the financial crisis, Krasnoff helped grow the firm into a leading investor in complex real estate credit and special situations, working with institutional partners across the United States. Known for disciplined underwriting and large-scale capital deployment in dislocated markets, he has positioned Rialto as a significant player in commercial real estate finance.

William R. Berkley, founder and executive chairman of W. R. Berkley Corporation, built one of the largest and most consistently profitable commercial insurance groups in the United States through disciplined underwriting and decentralized management. Since founding the company in 1967, Berkley expanded it into a global specialty insurer operating across property, casualty, and reinsurance markets, emphasizing niche expertise and conservative risk selection. Known for long-term capital stewardship and a focus on underwriting margins over premium growth, he has remained a defining figure in modern insurance.

Wayne Rothbaum, founder of Quogue Capital, built a private investment firm focused on opportunistic public equities, private investments, and long-term capital allocation across multiple asset classes. After an early career in finance and investing, Rothbaum developed Quogue into a discreet family office-style platform known for concentrated positions and patient ownership. Operating with a low public profile, he has deployed capital across technology, media, and consumer businesses while maintaining a disciplined, research-driven approach to investing.

Tom Golisano is the billionaire founder of Paychex and a prolific philanthropist who has donated over $1 billion to healthcare, education, and disability services. In early 2026, his legacy expanded through the Golisano Children's Alliance, a network of ten hospitals bolstered by his recent $50 million gifts to centers in Buffalo, Connecticut, and Kentucky. He is also scaling his Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship, with a new campus opening in the former Buffalo News building in fall 2026. Beyond his business empire, the former Buffalo Sabres owner remains a leading advocate for tax reform and inclusive health for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Terry Pegula is the billionaire owner of the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres, having built his fortune in the natural gas industry. In early 2026, he initiated a major organizational shift by firing longtime Bills head coach Sean McDermott and promoting Joe Brady. He also restructured the front office, naming Brandon Beane as President of Football Operations. While overseeing the construction of a new multi-billion dollar stadium in Orchard Park, Pegula remains a central figure in Buffalo sports, recently drawing headlines for his candid assessment of the team's roster and his focused commitment to finally bringing a Super Bowl title to Western New York.

Steve Bisciotti is the owner of the Baltimore Ravens and the founder of Allegis Group, the largest privately held staffing firm in the world. He built his fortune starting Aerotek out of a basement with his cousin, eventually scaling the business into a global workforce solutions leader. Since acquiring full ownership of the Ravens in 2004, Bisciotti has established the franchise as a model of organizational stability and competitive consistency, overseen by a "next man up" philosophy. Under his tenure, the Ravens have secured a Super Bowl title and remain a perennial playoff contender, known for a front-office culture that prioritizes strong scouting and long-term continuity in coaching and management.

Stefan Soloviev is the chairman of the Soloviev Group, a vast conglomerate that encompasses real estate, agriculture, and transportation. After inheriting the legendary New York City real estate portfolio of his father, Sheldon Solow, Soloviev has significantly diversified the family’s holdings, becoming one of the largest landowners in the United States. His agricultural arm, Crossroads Agriculture, operates millions of acres of farmland and ranchland across the Great Plains, while his investments in the Colorado Pacific Railroad have revitalized critical freight infrastructure. Soloviev’s leadership is defined by a bold, hands-on approach to land stewardship and a strategic expansion into renewable energy and large-scale urban development.

Scott Shleifer, senior advisor at Tiger Global Management and former longtime partner, is one of the most influential technology investors of the past two decades, helping deploy billions into high-growth public and private companies worldwide. During his tenure as a senior leader at Tiger Global, he played a central role in major investments across software, internet platforms, and global technology champions, blending public market expertise with venture-scale private investing. Known for disciplined analysis and concentrated positions, Shleifer helped shape Tiger Global’s reputation as a dominant force in crossover technology investing and continues to advise the firm and broader tech ecosystem.

Scot French, cofounder and managing partner of HPS Investment Partners, helped build one of the world’s leading private credit platforms by applying rigorous underwriting and institutional-scale risk management. A former senior executive at Goldman Sachs, French co-launched HPS and played a central role in expanding the firm across direct lending, structured credit, and opportunistic strategies for global institutional clients. Known for disciplined execution and deep capital markets expertise, he has been instrumental in establishing private credit as a core alternative asset class.

Scott Kapnick, CEO of HPS Investment Partners, is a veteran credit investor who helped build one of the world’s leading alternative asset managers focused on direct lending, structured credit, and opportunistic financing. A former senior executive at Goldman Sachs, Kapnick co-founded HPS and guided its expansion into a global platform managing tens of billions for institutional investors. Known for disciplined underwriting and deep capital markets expertise, he has played a central role in shaping modern private credit as a core asset class.

Sami Mnaymneh, cofounder and co-CEO of H.I.G. Capital, built one of the world’s largest middle-market private equity firms by focusing on complex carve-outs, underperforming businesses, and operational turnarounds. Since launching H.I.G. in 1993, Mnaymneh has helped scale the firm into a global platform investing across private equity, credit, and real assets, with a reputation for hands-on value creation and disciplined dealmaking. Known for deep operational involvement and a global investment footprint, he has positioned H.I.G. as a dominant force in middle-market buyouts and special situations.