Jorge Mas Santos, chairman and former CEO of MasTec, has transformed the engineering and infrastructure firm founded by his father into a multibillion-dollar leader in energy, telecommunications, and utility construction across North America. Under his stewardship, MasTec expanded from a regional contractor into a diversified powerhouse building renewable-energy projects, 5G networks, oil and gas pipelines, and critical power-distribution systems. Beyond MasTec, Mas Santos is an influential civic and political figure within the Cuban-American community and a principal owner of Inter Miami CF, helping shape the growth of Major League Soccer alongside global partners. His blend of business leadership, cultural advocacy, and sports ownership defines him as one of Miami’s most prominent modern leaders.

John H. Ruiz, founder and CEO of MSP Recovery, transformed a boutique health-care-law practice into a leading national firm specializing in recovery of Medicare, Medicaid and insurance reimbursements. Since launching MSP Recovery in 2014, Ruiz has built the company into a multibillion-dollar enterprise using proprietary data analytics and legal expertise to reclaim improperly paid claims on behalf of providers and payers. Under his leadership, MSPR has expanded into adjacent services and continues innovating in health-care compliance and recovery, establishing Ruiz as one of America’s foremost entrepreneurial leaders in health-care litigation and finance.

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 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.

John A. Sobrato, founder of the Sobrato Organization, is one of Silicon Valley’s most influential real estate developers, building a multibillion-dollar portfolio that houses many of the world’s leading technology companies. After selling one of the Bay Area’s earliest tech office parks in the 1970s, he expanded aggressively into commercial and multifamily properties across the region, creating a dominant privately held enterprise now managed alongside the second generation. A dedicated philanthropist, Sobrato has devoted much of his wealth to education, housing, and community development, with the family pledging to give away the majority of its net worth, solidifying his impact on both the business and social fabric of Northern California.

James Scapa, founder, chairman, and CEO of Altair, has spent four decades building the company into a global leader in simulation, high-performance computing, and data analytics. Starting Altair in 1985 with a small engineering team, Scapa helped pioneer computer-aided engineering tools that transformed product design across automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, and technology industries. Under his leadership, Altair expanded into cloud computing, AI, and enterprise analytics, evolving into a multibillion-dollar publicly traded company. Known for his long-term vision and engineering-driven culture, Scapa remains one of the most respected leaders in applied simulation and computational science.

James Y. Chao, co-founder and chairman of Westlake Corporation, has built the Houston-based chemicals and materials company into a global industrial leader. Since establishing Westlake in 1986, he has overseen its growth into a multibillion-dollar enterprise producing petrochemicals, polymers, and building products with operations across North America, Europe, and Asia. Known for his strategic discipline and long-term vision, Chao has guided the company’s expansion through innovation, acquisitions, and a strong family-led culture, making Westlake a cornerstone of the global chemicals and construction materials industry.

Jim Chanos, legendary short-seller and founder of Kynikos Associates, built his reputation as one of Wall Street’s most prominent contrarian investors. Best known for uncovering the Enron scandal by shorting the company before its collapse, Chanos has spent decades analyzing corporate fraud, overvaluation, and financial misrepresentation. His disciplined skepticism and forensic approach to investing have made him a key voice on market bubbles and corporate governance. Beyond finance, Chanos is an active philanthropist supporting education, economic research, and public policy initiatives.

Israel Englander, billionaire hedge fund manager, is the founder and CEO of Millennium Management, one of the world’s largest and most successful multi-strategy hedge funds. Launching the firm in 1989 with $35 million, he has grown Millennium into a powerhouse managing more than $50 billion in assets, employing a decentralized model with hundreds of portfolio managers. Known for his risk management discipline and ability to adapt to shifting markets, Englander has built a reputation as one of the most influential figures in modern hedge fund investing.

Ira Rennert, billionaire industrialist, is the founder of Renco Group, a private holding company with investments in mining, metals, manufacturing, and defense. Starting in the 1970s with junk bonds, he expanded into heavy industry, building a diversified empire that has included steel, magnesium, and automotive companies. Known for his controversial business practices as well as his immense wealth, Rennert also drew attention for constructing one of the largest private homes in the United States, the 62,000-square-foot Fair Field estate in the Hamptons. Despite criticism, he remains a powerful and enduring figure in American industry and finance.

Herbert Wertheim, optometrist, inventor, and investor, built his fortune through a mix of innovation in vision care and shrewd long-term investing. Founder of Brain Power Inc., he developed tints and protective coatings for eyeglass lenses that became widely adopted in the optical industry. Beyond his business, Wertheim amassed a multibillion-dollar portfolio by investing early in companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Intel, often reinvesting dividends over decades. A noted philanthropist, he has pledged much of his wealth to education, science, and medical research, cementing his legacy as both a pioneer and a benefactor.

Herbert Simon, billionaire real estate developer, is chairman emeritus of Simon Property Group, the largest shopping mall operator in the United States. Alongside his late brother Melvin, he expanded the Indianapolis-based company into a global retail real estate powerhouse, with hundreds of malls and premium outlets worldwide. Under his leadership, Simon Property Group grew into a publicly traded giant and a bellwether of the retail industry. Beyond real estate, Simon is also known as owner of the NBA’s Indiana Pacers and as a philanthropist supporting education, culture, and community development.

Henry Swieca, billionaire investor and hedge fund manager, cofounded Highbridge Capital Management in 1992, transforming it into one of the world’s leading alternative investment firms before selling a majority stake to JPMorgan Chase in 2004. After exiting Highbridge, he launched Talpion Fund Management, his family office, focusing on a broad range of investments across public and private markets. A child of Holocaust survivors, Swieca has coupled financial success with extensive philanthropy in education, Jewish causes, and healthcare, underscoring his reputation as both a disciplined investor and committed benefactor.

George Yancopoulos, cofounder, president, and chief scientific officer of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, is one of the most accomplished scientist-executives in biotechnology. A Columbia-trained physician and molecular immunologist, he helped shape Regeneron’s R&D engine, leading to breakthrough therapies in ophthalmology, immunology, oncology, and infectious disease. Under his guidance, the company developed Eylea, a blockbuster treatment for macular degeneration, and partnered in creating COVID-19 antibody therapies. With hundreds of patents and a reputation for scientific rigor, Yancopoulos has become a driving force behind Regeneron’s rise as a global biotech leader.

Geoffrey H. Palmer, founder of G.H. Palmer Associates, is one of Los Angeles’s largest apartment developers, with more than 13,000 units across the metro. He stamped downtown with Italianate mega-complexes like the Medici, Orsini, Piero, Da Vinci, and Lorenzo, and reshaped policy with the 2009 appellate win Palmer v. City of Los Angeles, which limited rental inclusionary mandates under California’s Costa-Hawkins Act. A prolific Republican donor, he remains a powerful—if polarizing—force in L.A. real estate.

David Baszucki s a Canadian‑American entrepreneur, software engineer, and inventor. He co-founded Roblox Corporation in 2004 and has led as CEO since its 2006 launch. Previously, he founded Knowledge Revolution—creator of Interactive Physics, sold to MSC Software—and later funded early startups like Friendster. A pioneer of user‑generated content and the metaverse, Baszucki also champions research via the Baszucki Brain Research Fund. 

Daniel Lubetzky is a Mexican‑American billionaire entrepreneur, author, and social innovator. He founded KIND Snacks in 2003 and grew it into a multibillion-dollar global brand known for purpose-driven business. Before KIND, he launched PeaceWorks and the OneVoice Movement to foster economic cooperation in the Middle East. A Stanford JD and Trinity University economics alum, he is also a major philanthropic leader and former “Shark Tank” investor turned full-time Shark

Charlie Ergen is the co‑founder and chairman of Dish Network and EchoStar. After launching the business in 1980 with just $60,000 and satellite dishes from the back of a truck, he built a telecommunications empire. Known for his frugality, poker ethos, and bold bids for wireless spectrum, Ergen now oversees major satellite, broadband, and wireless initiatives. He has climbed Everest, supports mountain-climbing causes, and continues to wield outsized influence in media and telecom. 

Chamath Palihapitiya is a Sri Lankan‑born Canadian‑American venture capitalist and founder & CEO of Social Capital. A former senior Facebook executive (2007–2011), he rose to prominence as the so-called “SPAC King” after helping take Virgin Galactic, Opendoor, Clover Health and others public. His aggressive investment style and hefty bet on SPACs have earned him both acclaim and criticism.

Brian Chesky is the American industrial designer and co‑founder & CEO of Airbnb, the pioneering platform that transformed home-sharing into a global force. A Rhode Island School of Design graduate, Chesky built Airbnb from a San Francisco loft startup in 2008 into a marketplace serving over 2 billion guests across 240+ countries. Known for his design-driven leadership and ‘founder mode’ management style, he’s also a prominent philanthropist and a signatory of the Giving Pledge.