Richard Kinder, cofounder and executive chairman of Kinder Morgan, built one of the largest energy infrastructure companies in North America by focusing on pipelines, terminals, and cash-flow durability at massive scale. A former Enron executive, Kinder launched Kinder Morgan in 1997 and expanded it through acquisitions and disciplined asset management, creating a dominant network transporting natural gas, refined products, and CO₂ across the United States. Known for financial focus and shareholder orientation, he helped pioneer the modern midstream business model and remains one of the most influential figures in U.S. energy logistics.

Phil Ruffin, casino and real estate magnate, built a fortune through high-conviction bets on hospitality, energy, and distressed assets, most famously in Las Vegas. After early success in oil and gas, Ruffin acquired and revitalized major properties including the Treasure Island hotel-casino, applying hands-on operations and disciplined capital allocation. Known for opportunistic dealmaking and a long-term owner’s mindset, he has remained a powerful figure in gaming and commercial real estate, pairing bold acquisitions with tight cost control and patient value creation.

Paul Marciano, cofounder and longtime chief creative officer of Guess, helped build one of the most recognizable global fashion brands by blending European sensibility with bold American marketing. After launching Guess in 1981 with his brothers, Marciano shaped the brand’s visual identity, provocative advertising, and denim-driven style that propelled rapid international expansion. Under his creative direction, Guess became synonymous with aspirational imagery and celebrity campaigns, turning a niche denim label into a worldwide lifestyle brand. Marciano’s influence has left a lasting imprint on fashion branding and retail aesthetics.

Noam Gottesman, cofounder and managing partner of GLG Partners, built one of Europe’s most successful hedge funds by combining global macro insight with disciplined risk management. After cofounding GLG in 1995, he helped grow the firm into a multibillion-dollar asset manager before selling it to Man Group in a landmark deal. Beyond finance, Gottesman has become a prominent investor and philanthropist, with significant interests in art, media, and education, reflecting a career that spans markets, culture, and long-term capital stewardship.

Nelson Peltz, founder and CEO of Trian Fund Management, is one of the most prominent activist investors in corporate America, known for pushing operational discipline and shareholder-focused governance at some of the world’s largest companies. After early success building food distributor Triangle Industries, Peltz turned to activism through Trian, taking influential stakes in companies such as Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, DuPont, and General Electric. His campaigns typically emphasize cost control, capital allocation, and strategic clarity rather than breakups, earning him a reputation as a boardroom power broker. Peltz’s blend of industrial experience and financial activism has reshaped how large corporations respond to shareholder pressure.

Neil Bluhm, real estate developer and casino magnate, built a diversified empire spanning luxury hotels, gaming, and urban real estate through long-term vision and disciplined capital deployment. As cofounder of JMB Realty, he helped shape landmark developments across major U.S. cities before expanding aggressively into gaming as a principal owner of Rush Street Gaming and Rush Street Interactive. Bluhm is also a major civic philanthropist, supporting education, healthcare, and cultural institutions in Chicago and beyond, blending large-scale commercial development with sustained community investment.

Mitchell Rales, cofounder of Danaher Corporation, is one of America’s most successful industrial builders, known for pairing disciplined capital allocation with a relentless focus on operational excellence. Alongside his brother Steven, Rales transformed Danaher from a small real estate company into a global science and technology conglomerate by pioneering the Danaher Business System, a management framework rooted in continuous improvement and lean manufacturing. After stepping back from day-to-day operations, Rales has remained an influential investor and philanthropist, supporting education, public policy, and cultural institutions through the Rales Foundation and Glenstone Museum.

Michael Rubin, founder and CEO of Fanatics, has transformed licensed sports merchandise into a data-driven global commerce and collectibles powerhouse, expanding into trading cards, sports betting, and live fan experiences. A serial entrepreneur who previously built and sold GSI Commerce to eBay, Rubin now sits at the center of the sports business ecosystem, leveraging deep league partnerships and technology to redefine how fans engage with teams and athletes. His high-profile leadership across commerce, culture, and philanthropy has made him one of the most influential figures in modern sports entrepreneurship.

Michael Jordan, global sports icon and billionaire entrepreneur, transformed athletic excellence into one of the most powerful personal brands in history. Widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time, Jordan won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and later parlayed his competitive legacy into business dominance through the Air Jordan brand, a cornerstone of Nike’s empire. Beyond sports, he became a pioneering team owner with the Charlotte Hornets and built a diversified portfolio spanning endorsements, private investments, and philanthropy. Jordan’s post-career success set a new standard for athlete-entrepreneurs, redefining how greatness compounds far beyond the arena.

Martin Selig, founder and chairman of Martin Selig Real Estate, is one of Seattle’s most prominent commercial real estate developers, having shaped much of the city’s modern office landscape. Beginning in the 1970s, Selig built a vast portfolio of downtown office towers and mixed-use properties, often taking a contrarian approach by developing during market downturns and holding assets long term. Known for his bold architecture, aggressive expansion, and willingness to challenge conventional real estate cycles, Selig became a defining figure in Pacific Northwest commercial property. His career reflects decades of high-conviction development and enduring influence on Seattle’s urban core.

Mario Gabelli, founder and CEO of GAMCO Investors, is one of Wall Street’s most respected value investors, known for applying fundamental research and private-market valuation techniques to public equities. After beginning his career at Loeb, Rhoades & Co., Gabelli launched GAMCO in 1977 and built a multibillion-dollar asset management firm specializing in value, merger arbitrage, and global equity strategies. His disciplined approach emphasizes cash flow, asset value, and management quality, often coupled with active engagement in corporate governance. Beyond finance, Gabelli is a major philanthropist and art collector, supporting education, cultural institutions, and charitable causes worldwide.

Louis Bacon, founder of Moore Capital Management, is one of the most accomplished global macro hedge fund managers of his generation, known for combining rigorous risk control with deep geopolitical and economic insight. Since launching Moore in 1989, he delivered decades of strong returns through disciplined trading in currencies, commodities, rates, and equities, becoming a defining figure in the macro-trading world. Beyond finance, Bacon is a major conservation philanthropist, protecting vast tracts of land in the U.S. and the Caribbean through the Moore Charitable Foundation. His blend of trading mastery, discretion, and environmental stewardship has made him a singular presence in global finance.

Leonard Stern, chairman and CEO of Hartz Mountain Industries, transformed his family’s small pet-supply enterprise into one of the largest privately held real estate empires in the United States. After taking over the business in the 1950s, he expanded Hartz Mountain into a diversified powerhouse spanning industrial properties, office buildings, hotels, and residential developments concentrated in the New York–New Jersey region. Known for long-term strategy, disciplined capital deployment, and a deep commitment to family ownership, Stern also stands out as a major philanthropist—supporting education, entrepreneurship, and the arts, including significant contributions to NYU’s Stern School of Business, named in his honor.

Larry Robbins, founder and CEO of Glenview Capital Management, is one of the most respected hedge fund managers in healthcare and event-driven investing. After early success at Leon Cooperman’s Omega Advisors, Robbins launched Glenview in 2000 and built a reputation for deep industry research, concentrated positions, and long-term conviction—particularly in hospitals, insurers, and medical services. His activist work has influenced major healthcare operators, while his philanthropic efforts in education, through the Robbins Family Foundation, focus on charter schools and educational reform. Known for patient, fundamental investing and outspoken views on healthcare policy, Robbins remains a defining figure in the sector.

Kelcy Warren, cofounder and executive chairman of Energy Transfer, built one of North America’s largest pipeline and midstream energy networks through aggressive dealmaking, operational scale, and a deep understanding of U.S. oil and gas logistics. Since launching Energy Transfer in 1996, he has overseen a sweeping expansion across natural gas, crude, and NGL infrastructure, including the development of high-profile projects such as the Dakota Access Pipeline. A self-made billionaire from modest Texas roots, Warren combines engineering discipline with bold acquisitive strategy, while remaining an active philanthropist in education, parks, and music—most notably founding the Texas music venue and nonprofit, Klyde Warren Park in Dallas.

Joe Lacob, managing partner and chairman of the Golden State Warriors, is the venture capitalist who helped engineer one of the greatest franchise transformations in modern sports. After years at Kleiner Perkins investing in healthcare and technology, Lacob led the group that acquired the Warriors in 2010 and rebuilt the organization through analytics-driven strategy, top-tier talent development, and a bold front-office culture. Under his leadership, the Warriors evolved from a struggling team into a global dynasty with multiple NBA championships, a state-of-the-art arena in San Francisco, and one of the most valuable brands in sports. Lacob’s blend of data rigor, entrepreneurial mindset, and competitive ambition has redefined what ownership can look like in the NBA.

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.

Jon Oringer, founder and executive chairman of Shutterstock, is one of the earliest pioneers of the digital content marketplace economy. In 2003, he launched Shutterstock as a one-man operation—personally shooting the site’s first 30,000 stock photos—before scaling it into a global platform offering millions of images, videos, and creative assets to customers in more than 150 countries. Oringer took Shutterstock public in 2012, becoming New York’s first tech billionaire, and has since focused on building Pareto Holdings, an investment firm backing early-stage startups in Miami and beyond. Known for his product intuition and bootstrap discipline, he remains a central figure in the evolution of digital media licensing.

Jonathan M. Nelson, founder and managing partner of Providence Equity Partners, has built one of the world’s most successful private equity firms specializing in media, communications, education, and technology investments. Since founding Providence in 1989, he has overseen hundreds of transactions and managed billions in assets, backing major companies like Hulu, Univision, Warner Music Group, and Sotheby’s. Known for long-term sector-focused investing and operational support, Nelson has shaped entire industries—particularly media and telecom—while steering Providence as a top-tier global investment house.

John Pritzker, hospitality investor and member of the Pritzker family behind Hyatt Hotels, has built a distinct legacy in luxury travel and lifestyle ventures through Geolo Capital, the private equity firm he founded in 2005. After early leadership roles at Hyatt and the family’s travel assets, he shifted toward boutique hospitality, backing high-end brands such as Two Roads Hospitality—later acquired by Hyatt in a landmark deal that returned him to the business his family helped create. Pritzker has focused on experiential hotels, wellness properties, and entertainment-driven real estate while maintaining a strong philanthropic presence in arts, education, and community causes. His career reflects a blend of entrepreneurial independence and deep industry heritage.