Charles S. Cohen is a billionaire real estate developer and film industry entrepreneur who transformed Cohen Brothers Realty—founded by his family—into a 12 million sq ft commercial portfolio spanning Manhattan, Los Angeles, Houston, and Florida. He also founded the Cohen Media Group in 2008 to preserve and distribute independent and French films, eventually acquiring iconic arthouse theater chains like Landmark Theatres and Curzon Cinemas.

Charles Butt is the chairman and CEO of H‑E‑B, the San Antonio‑based supermarket chain founded by his grandmother in 1905. Taking over leadership in 1971, he transformed H‑E‑B into a $39–42 billion private company with over 400 stores across Texas and Mexico. A Wharton and Harvard MBA alum, Butt is also a generous philanthropist—pledging more than $150 million to education initiatives and public school teachers, and earning Mexico’s Aztec Eagle Medal for cross-border giving.

Charles Brandes is an American billionaire investor and value‑investing legend who founded Brandes Investment Partners in 1974. A protégé of Benjamin Graham, he built the firm into a global value-management powerhouse with upwards of $95 billion in assets at peak. Brandes authored Value Investing Today and remains deeply philanthropic, supporting causes such as the Salk Institute and diabetes research institutes.

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.

Chad Richison is the American entrepreneur who founded Paycom in 1998 and has served as its President, CEO, and Chairman since inception. A University of Central Oklahoma graduate, he pioneered fully online payroll and HR solutions through Paycom, leading its IPO in 2014, and growing it into a $1.9 billion SaaS company. Richison is also a committed philanthropist—founding the Green Shoe Foundation and donating tens of millions to educational and mental health causes—and is a signatory of The Giving Pledge.

Carl Thoma is a veteran private-equity pioneer and co-founder/managing partner of Thoma Bravo, one of the world’s largest software-focused buyout firms managing more than $130 billion in assets. A Stanford MBA and Oklahoma State alumnus, he began his career in 1980 with the predecessor firm GTCR and helped invent the “buy and build” consolidation strategy that underpins his longtime success in PE.

Carl Lindner III is the co-CEO and co-president of American Financial Group, a Cincinnati-based Fortune 500 insurance and financial services firm. As longtime chair of Great American Insurance since 1987, he oversees specialized commercial P&C operations while managing over $30 billion in assets. A devout Christian known for disciplined risk-taking and philanthropy, Lindner embodies his family’s values-driven leadership legacy.

Carl Icahn is the legendary activist investor and founder of Icahn Enterprises, the diversified conglomerate he controls with an 86% stake. Born in Brooklyn in 1936, he helped pioneer shareholder activism as a high-stakes corporate raider—targeting companies like Trans World Airlines and Time Warner—then transitioned into long-term value investing. His bet on CVR Energy has since become the financial backbone of Icahn Enterprises amid broader portfolio volatility.

Carl Cook is an American billionaire and chief executive of Cook Group, the prominent medical device company founded by his parents, William and Gayle Cook. A Purdue engineering graduate and University of Iowa MBA, he took over as CEO in 2011 following his father’s passing. Today, he leads the firm’s expansion across diagnostics, life sciences, and cell-therapy research via Cook MyoSite. Known for his low-profile leadership, Cook oversees a multibillion-dollar legacy while quietly advancing medical innovation.

Tyler Winklevoss is an American entrepreneur, investor, and former Olympic rower. A Harvard economics graduate and Oxford MBA, he co‑founded ConnectU and then downplayed his Facebook settlement to become one of the first Bitcoin billionaires. In 2014, he launched Gemini—now a leading regulated U.S. crypto exchange—and Winklevoss Capital, investing early in Bitcoin and backing tech startups. Notably, he is now exploring an IPO for Gemini. 

Cameron Winklevoss is an American entrepreneur, former Olympic rower, and co‑founder & President of Gemini—the regulated cryptocurrency exchange he launched with his twin brother Tyler in 2014. After co‑founding social network ConnectU and settling a high‑profile lawsuit with Facebook, the Winklevoss twins invested early in Bitcoin—owning about 1 % of all BTC by 2013—and became among the first Bitcoin billionaires. Today, they control Gemini and Winklevoss Capital Management, investing in startups and crypto innovation while maintaining a quiet, highly disciplined presence.

Cal Turner Jr. is the pioneering retail executive and philanthropist who transformed Dollar General into a national discount powerhouse. After joining the family business in 1965 and rising from warehouse sweeper to CEO, he expanded the chain from 150 stores to over 6,000, achieving more than $6 billion in annual revenue before retiring in 2003. His leadership was rooted in small‑town values, faith, and a mission to serve working-class communities.

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.

Bruce Toll co‑founded Toll Brothers in 1967 with his brother Robert, turning it into a Fortune 500 homebuilder specializing in luxury housing across 24 states. As vice chairman—and principal of family office BET Investments—he now manages a real estate empire spanning six million sq ft of commercial space, 3,000 apartments, automotive dealerships, biotech ventures, and a portfolio reaching billionaire status.

Bruce Kovner is a self-made hedge fund billionaire and the founder of Caxton Associates in 1983, the global macro fund he led for nearly three decades. A Harvard graduate who once drove a NYC taxi and dabbled in harpsichord before launching a career in trading, Kovner turned $3,000 borrowed on a credit card into billions—later retiring to manage his firm CAM Capital and lead elite arts and education philanthropy.

Bruce Karsh is the co-founder, co-chairman, and Chief Investment Officer of Oaktree Capital Management, the global leader in distressed-debt investing with nearly $190 billion in assets under management. A former appellate clerk for Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, Karsh transitioned from law to finance, quietly building a reputation as the “quiet secret behind Oaktree’s success” alongside Howard Marks.

Brian Roberts is the chairman and CEO of Comcast Corporation—heir to the founding family and the public face behind one of the world’s largest media and telecom companies. Since joining Comcast in 1981 and becoming president in 1990, he has overseen growth through major acquisitions—from AT&T Broadband to NBCUniversal and Sky—boosting revenues from under $1 billion to over $90 billion.

Brian Higgins is the co‑founder, managing partner, and co-portfolio manager of King Street Capital Management, a leading global alternative investment firm founded in 1995. Known for excellence in distressed‑debt and credit strategies, Higgins has helped steer the firm through market cycles with disciplined execution and low public profile. He also serves on the board of Harlem Children’s Zone and is recognized for long‑term philanthropic commitments.

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.

Brian Armstrong is the co-founder and CEO of Coinbase Global, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the U.S. With bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science and economics from Rice University, he previously worked at Airbnb, Deloitte, and IBM before launching Coinbase in 2012. Under his leadership, Coinbase expanded to over 100 million users, went public in 2021, and achieved profitability while advocating for crypto regulation and financial freedom.