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.

Jim McKelvey, cofounder of Square (now Block), is an entrepreneur, inventor, and investor whose work has reshaped modern payments and small-business commerce. A glassblower by training, McKelvey partnered with Jack Dorsey in 2009 to create Square’s iconic card reader after losing a sale because he couldn’t accept credit cards—sparking a multibillion-dollar fintech revolution. Beyond Square, he founded LaunchCode to expand access to technology careers and authored The Innovation Stack, distilling insights from building category-defining companies. Known for his product intuition, creative background, and commitment to economic empowerment, McKelvey remains a major force in American entrepreneurship.

Jared Isaacman, entrepreneur and pilot, is the founder and CEO of Shift4, the payment processing company he launched as a teenager and later scaled into a multibillion-dollar publicly traded enterprise serving restaurants, hotels, stadiums, and major global brands. A skilled aviator with thousands of flight hours, Isaacman gained worldwide attention as commander of Inspiration4—the first all-civilian orbital space mission—funded largely by his own philanthropy in support of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Combining bold entrepreneurial vision with a passion for aerospace and charitable impact, he has emerged as one of the most dynamic business leaders of his generation.

Hansjörg Wyss, Swiss billionaire and philanthropist, built his fortune through medical device maker Synthes, which he sold to Johnson & Johnson for nearly $20 billion in 2012. An engineer by training, Wyss expanded Synthes into a global leader in orthopedic implants before turning his focus to large-scale philanthropy. Through the Wyss Foundation, he has committed billions to environmental conservation, scientific research, and public interest journalism, becoming one of the world’s most influential advocates for protecting wild lands and advancing sustainable solutions.

Hal Steinbrenner, managing general partner and chairman of the New York Yankees, inherited leadership of Major League Baseball’s most iconic franchise from his father, George Steinbrenner. Since assuming control in 2008, he has balanced the legacy of the Yankees’ storied past with the financial and operational demands of modern sports management. Under his stewardship, the team has continued to rank among the most valuable sports franchises in the world, leveraging brand power, media rights, and stadium operations while maintaining its pursuit of championships.

Bennett Dorrance is the billionaire heir of Campbell Soup, serving as a longtime board member and key stakeholder with roughly a 15 % family stake. A University of Arizona graduate, he co-founded DMB Associates—a real estate development firm—and supports education through his Dorrance Scholarship Programs. He resides in Paradise Valley, AZ, and ranks among Arizona’s wealthiest individuals. 

August Busch IV is the fifth-generation brewing magnate and former CEO of Anheuser‑Busch, best known for steering the family business through its iconic Super Bowl advertising era and resisting, then navigating, its 2008 sale to InBev.