Marcelo Claure, entrepreneur and investor, is best known for building Brightstar into one of the world’s largest wireless distribution companies and for his high-profile leadership roles in global telecommunications. After founding Brightstar in 1997, Claure expanded it into a multibillion-dollar enterprise operating in more than 50 countries, later selling a majority stake to SoftBank. He went on to serve as CEO of Sprint, where he led a multiyear turnaround, and later became chief operating officer of SoftBank Group, overseeing global investments across technology, telecom, and startups. Known for his intense execution style and dealmaking acumen, Claure remains a central figure in international business and private investment.

Lowell Milken, cofounder of Knowledge Universe and a longtime leader in education reform and philanthropy, has built a wide-ranging career focused on improving teaching quality and expanding access to effective learning models. After an early career in law and finance, he helped develop Knowledge Universe into one of the world’s largest private education companies, spanning early childhood learning, professional development, and technology-enabled instruction. As chairman of the Milken Family Foundation, he has created nationally recognized programs such as the Milken Educator Awards and TAP: The System for Teacher and Student Advancement. Known for his strategic vision and commitment to education innovation, Milken is a defining figure in modern philanthropic efforts to strengthen America’s schools.

Kenneth Fisher, founder and executive chairman of Fisher Investments, is one of the most influential voices in modern investing, known for combining empirical market research with accessible financial commentary. Since launching Fisher Investments in 1979, he has grown the firm into a multi-hundred-billion-dollar global asset manager serving private clients and institutions across North America and Europe. A bestselling author and longtime columnist, Fisher popularized the use of price-to-sales ratio in stock analysis and has written extensively on behavioral finance and investor psychology. With a career spanning five decades, he remains a leading advocate of evidence-based investing and long-term market discipline.

Joseph Chetrit, founder of the Chetrit Group, is one of New York’s most enigmatic and influential real estate investors, known for executing some of the city’s largest and most complex property deals with minimal public profile. After building an early fortune in textiles, Chetrit shifted into real estate in the 1990s, assembling a multibillion-dollar portfolio that includes office towers, residential conversions, hotels, and landmark properties across Manhattan, Miami, Los Angeles, and beyond. His firm has been involved in major transactions such as the Sears Tower sale, the Chelsea Hotel redevelopment, and large-scale waterfront projects. Chetrit’s combination of discretion, scale, and contrarian timing has made him a defining—if quietly spoken—force in American real estate.

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.

John Paulson, founder of Paulson & Co., is one of the most storied figures in modern hedge fund history, best known for his legendary 2007 bet against subprime mortgages that generated profits of more than $15 billion and made him a symbol of prescient, contrarian investing. After building his firm on merger arbitrage and event-driven strategies, Paulson’s success in the financial crisis cemented his reputation as a master of timing and risk management. In recent years, he has shifted toward private investments and family-office operations while becoming a major philanthropist across healthcare, education, and the arts. Paulson’s rise from modest beginnings to one of the wealthiest hedge fund investors underscores the enduring power of disciplined conviction in global markets.

Jim Haslam, founder of Pilot Company, built one of America’s largest fuel, travel center, and logistics businesses from a single gas station he opened in 1958. A former University of Tennessee football standout and U.S. Army officer, Haslam expanded Pilot through disciplined operations, strategic acquisitions, and a relentless focus on serving professional drivers—laying the foundation for what would become a multibillion-dollar national network of travel centers. His leadership shaped the culture and growth of the Haslam family enterprise, while his extensive philanthropy in education, healthcare, and community initiatives established him as one of Tennessee’s most respected civic and business leaders.

Dmitry Rybolovlev, billionaire investor and art collector, built his fortune through his majority stake in Uralkali, one of the world’s largest potash producers, before divesting and shifting into global investments. Known for high-profile real estate purchases across Monaco, Switzerland, the United States, and Greece, he has also been a major figure in the international art market, assembling a celebrated—and controversial—collection of masterpieces. As owner of AS Monaco FC since 2011, Rybolovlev has guided the club through periods of strong performance, including a Ligue 1 title. Despite legal disputes and intense media attention, he remains one of Europe’s most notable and influential private investors.

Jeff Greene, billionaire real estate investor, built his fortune by making one of the most successful bets against the U.S. housing market before the 2008 financial crisis, using credit default swaps to hedge his property portfolio. After the crash, he expanded his holdings across South Florida, Los Angeles, and New York, developing and acquiring high-end residential, commercial, and hospitality properties. Known for his contrarian instincts and disciplined approach to leverage, Greene has also pursued ventures in education and sustainability while maintaining an active role in philanthropy and public policy. His investments continue to shape key real estate markets nationwide.

Jim Kennedy, chairman emeritus of Cox Enterprises, is the longtime steward of one of America’s largest and most influential privately held companies. Grandson of founder James M. Cox, he helped transform the family’s newspaper holdings into a diversified powerhouse spanning cable and broadband (Cox Communications), automotive services (Cox Automotive), and emerging clean-tech investments. Under his leadership, Cox became a multibillion-dollar enterprise known for operational discipline, innovation, and a strong commitment to sustainability and philanthropy. Kennedy remains one of the wealthiest and most prominent family-business leaders in the United States.

James Coulter, cofounder and executive chairman of TPG, is one of the most influential figures in global private equity. Since launching the firm in 1992 with David Bonderman, he has helped build TPG into a diversified investment powerhouse with hundreds of billions in assets under management across buyouts, growth equity, impact investing, real estate, and credit. Known for his strategic vision and early bets on sectors from airlines to healthcare and technology, Coulter has shaped modern private equity while championing initiatives such as TPG Rise, one of the largest impact investment platforms in the world.

Herb Chambers, self-made billionaire and founder of The Herb Chambers Companies, built one of the largest and most successful auto dealership groups in the United States. Starting with a single Cadillac store in 1985, he expanded into a network of more than 30 dealerships across New England, representing top luxury and premium brands such as Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Rolls-Royce. Known for his relentless focus on customer service and sales innovation, Chambers turned a struggling dealership into a multibillion-dollar enterprise, cementing his reputation as one of America’s top automotive entrepreneurs.

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.

David Booth is the co-founder and Executive Chairman of Dimensional Fund Advisors, the global investment firm he launched in 1981 after studying under Eugene Fama at the University of Chicago. His firm pioneered factor-based investing and now manages over $800 billion in AUM. A major philanthropist, he gifted $300 million to name Chicago Booth School of Business. 

Daniel Snyder is the American entrepreneur who founded Snyder Communications and later owned the Washington Commanders (NFL) from 1999 to 2023. He purchased the team for $800 million and controversially sold it for a record $6.05 billion amid investigations, fan backlash, and workplace misconduct scandals that ultimately led to his forced exit. He now resides in London and remains a polarizing sports legacy figure

Daniel Loeb is an American investor, hedge‑fund manager, and founder & CEO of Third Point LLC, a New York‑based activist investment firm launched in 1995 with ~$3–4 million in capital. Renowned for his scathing public letters and event‑driven strategy, he has built Third Point into a multi‑billion‑dollar fund and a major force in corporate turnarounds and governance reform. He is also a philanthropist active in education and civil‑rights causes.

Craig Newmark is the American founder of Craigslist, the influential online classifieds platform he started in 1995. With degrees in computing and information sciences from Case Western Reserve University, Newmark built Craigslist into a global service, stepping down as CEO in 2000 but continuing to support users and guide customer service. Since 2016, he has focused full-time on Craig Newmark Philanthropies, supporting ethics in journalism, veterans’ cybersecurity, and election integrity.

Byron Trott is the founder, chairman and co‑CEO of BDT & MSD Partners, a high-end merchant bank advising and investing alongside family‑ and founder‑led firms. A former Goldman Sachs vice chairman turned confidant to billionaires including Warren Buffett and Michael Dell, Trott built his firm into a discreet powerhouse managing over $33 billion in capital. He is also a committed philanthropist and trustee at the University of Chicago, and current president emeritus of the Horatio Alger Association.

Barry Sternlicht is the billionaire founder, chairman & CEO of Starwood Capital Group and Starwood Property Trust (NYSE: STWD), overseeing over $120 billion in global real estate assets. He also founded Starwood Hotels, creating iconic brands like W Hotels and St. Regis. A passionate industry leader, he’s known for blending revenue-driven growth with hands-on hospitality strategy—and for his vocal views on market cycles and Fed policy.

Aubrey Chernick is a Canadian‑born entrepreneur and philanthropist who founded Candle Corporation (creator of the Omegamon mainframe-monitoring platform) and later developed cybersecurity firms NC4 and Celerium. After selling Candle to IBM in 2004, he has championed youth education, digital inclusion, and tech-driven social impact through the Candle Foundation and Chernick family initiatives.