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.

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.