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.

Kenny Troutt, billionaire entrepreneur and founder of Excel Communications, built his fortune by pioneering long-distance telecommunications sales through network marketing, later selling the company to Teleglobe for billions. After exiting telecom, he turned his focus to thoroughbred horse breeding and racing, creating WinStar Farm in Kentucky, which has produced multiple classic winners, including Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes champions. Known for his competitive spirit, strategic investment style, and passion for racing, Troutt has become a major figure in American equestrian sports while maintaining a diverse personal investment portfolio.

Josh Harris, cofounder of Apollo Global Management, is one of the most accomplished investors of his generation, helping build Apollo into a global alternative-asset powerhouse managing hundreds of billions across private equity, credit, and real assets. After three decades of shaping Apollo’s hallmark value-oriented, contrarian investment strategy, Harris expanded his influence into professional sports as cofounder of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, owning the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Devils, and, most recently, the Washington Commanders. Known for his analytical discipline, long-term strategy, and philanthropic commitments in education and community development, Harris has become a defining figure in both modern finance and major-league sports ownership.

Joseph Craft III, president and CEO of Alliance Resource Partners, is one of the most prominent figures in the American coal industry, overseeing one of the nation’s largest and most efficient coal producers. Since taking leadership in the late 1990s, Craft has expanded Alliance through disciplined capital allocation, long-term supply contracts, and a focus on low-cost, high-productivity mining operations across the Midwest and Appalachia. Beyond energy, he is an influential political and philanthropic figure, supporting education, economic development, and university programs throughout Kentucky and Oklahoma. Craft’s combination of operational expertise and strategic influence has made him a defining leader in U.S. energy and regional industry.

Jamie Dinan, founder and CEO of York Capital Management, is one of the most respected figures in the hedge fund world, known for his disciplined event-driven and distressed investing strategies. After losing his entire savings during the 1987 market crash, Dinan rebuilt his career and launched York in 1991 with just $3.6 million, growing it into a multibillion-dollar global firm with offices in New York, London, and Hong Kong. Renowned for his resilience, rigorous analysis, and long-term perspective, Dinan also holds ownership stakes in major sports franchises and is an active philanthropist in education and healthcare.

Jim Thompson, founder and chairman of Crown Worldwide Group, built one of the world’s leading logistics, relocation, and records management companies from a single operation in Japan in 1965. Over six decades, he expanded Crown into a global enterprise with offices in nearly 50 countries, serving multinational corporations, governments, and private clients with services ranging from international moving to fine art handling and workplace solutions. Known for his global mindset, disciplined expansion, and commitment to service excellence, Thompson has established Crown as a trusted partner to organizations navigating the complexities of international mobility and logistics.

Irwin Jacobs, cofounder and former CEO of Qualcomm, is a pioneering engineer and entrepreneur who helped revolutionize wireless communications. After an academic career at MIT and UC San Diego, he launched Qualcomm in 1985, driving the development and commercialization of CDMA technology, which became the global standard for mobile networks. Under his leadership, Qualcomm grew into a multibillion-dollar powerhouse at the heart of the mobile phone industry. Beyond technology, Jacobs is a noted philanthropist, supporting education, science, and the arts, particularly in San Diego, where his contributions have had lasting civic impact.

Howard Schultz, former longtime CEO and chairman emeritus of Starbucks, transformed a small Seattle coffee chain into a global brand with more than 35,000 stores worldwide. Inspired by Italy’s espresso culture, he built Starbucks into a company that blended premium coffee with community-driven “third place” experiences. Schultz became known not only for scaling the brand into a multibillion-dollar enterprise but also for his focus on employee benefits, ethical sourcing, and social responsibility. A visionary entrepreneur and occasional political voice, he remains one of the most influential figures in modern retail and consumer culture.

Gerald J. Ford, Texas billionaire banker and investor, built his fortune by acquiring, restructuring, and selling struggling financial institutions. Starting in the 1970s, he earned a reputation as a savvy dealmaker, most notably with the turnaround and sale of First United Bankshares and Golden State Bancorp. Through his private equity firm Hilltop Holdings, Ford has remained an active force in banking, insurance, and real estate, combining sharp financial instincts with a long-term investment outlook. A noted philanthropist, he is also a major benefactor of Southern Methodist University.

Evan Spiegel co‑founded Snap Inc. (initially Snapchat) in 2011 while studying product design at Stanford. Under his leadership, Snap evolved into a global social media firm with ~400+ million daily users, launching viral innovations like Stories and AR lenses. Spiegel holds over 95 % of Snap’s voting power alongside co‑founder Bobby Murphy and remains its CEO. He also supports youth arts and education through the Spiegel Family Fund with his wife Miranda Kerr.

David Einhorn is the founder and president of Greenlight Capital, a value-oriented long/short hedge fund founded in 1996. Known for accurately shorting Lehman Brothers and Allied Capital, he built Greenlight into a firm delivering annualized returns around 15–26% in its early years. In early 2025, the fund gained ~12%—with gold leading portfolio performance—even amid a bearish pivot during volatile markets.

Charles R. Schwab is the pioneering founder, longtime CEO, and current Co‑Chairman of The Charles Schwab Corporation, which he started in 1971. Renowned for revolutionizing the discount brokerage industry—offering low-cost, tech-driven trading and eliminating commissions—he built one of the largest global investment firms managing over $10 trillion in client assets and serving more than 32 million accounts. Semi-retiring in 2008, he remains the largest individual shareholder and leads the Schwab Foundation’s education and dyslexia initiatives. 

Steve Cohen is an American billionaire hedge fund manager, art collector, and owner of the New York Mets. He is the founder of Point72 Asset Management and S.A.C. Capital Advisors, renowned for his aggressive trading strategies and substantial influence in both the financial and sports industries.