Frank Laukien, chairman, president, and CEO of Bruker Corporation, has built the scientific instruments maker into a global leader in analytical and diagnostic solutions. Taking the helm of the company founded by his father, Laukien expanded its product portfolio across life sciences, materials research, and industrial applications, serving top research institutions and laboratories worldwide. A physicist by training, he has guided Bruker’s growth through innovation-driven acquisitions and a focus on precision technologies, securing its reputation as a critical partner in advancing scientific discovery.

Frank Holding Jr., chairman and CEO of First Citizens BancShares, has led the North Carolina–based bank through decades of steady expansion and strategic acquisitions. Under his leadership, the once-regional institution became a national player, most notably with its transformative 2023 acquisition of Silicon Valley Bank’s assets. Known for a conservative approach to lending and an emphasis on long-term relationships, Holding has preserved the family-run culture while scaling First Citizens into one of the largest banks in the United States, managing hundreds of billions in assets.

Frank Fertitta III, chairman and CEO of Station Casinos, transformed a family business into a Las Vegas gaming powerhouse catering to local residents. Alongside his brother Lorenzo, he acquired the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 2001 for $2 million, steering its growth into a global sports phenomenon before selling to Endeavor in 2016 for $4 billion. With substantial holdings in real estate, hospitality, and gaming, Fertitta’s career blends bold deal-making with a deep understanding of Nevada’s entertainment landscape, securing his place among America’s most influential casino magnates.

O. Francis Biondi, cofounder of King Street Capital Management, launched the hedge fund in 1995 alongside fellow First Boston alum Brian Higgins, building it into a global powerhouse with over $25 billion in assets under management. Specializing in contrarian plays across stocks and bonds, the firm became a dominant force in distressed and value investing. Biondi retired in 2020 but retained his ownership stake, cementing his legacy as a shrewd investor and architect of one of the most respected names in alternative asset management.

Forrest Lee Preston, a self-made billionaire, founded Life Care Centers of America in 1970 and built it from a single facility in Cleveland, Tennessee, into one of the nation’s largest privately held networks of nursing homes, assisted-living, and retirement communities. As sole owner and CEO, he has overseen more than 200 locations across 27 states, employing over 30,000 people and serving tens of thousands of residents. Known for his hands-on control and aggressive expansion, Preston has navigated regulatory challenges and industry upheavals, cementing his reputation as a dominant force in the senior-care sector.

Herbert Fisk “Fisk” Johnson III is the fifth-generation leader of S. C. Johnson, the iconic cleaning‑products company founded in 1886. A Cornell alumnus with multiple degrees (BA, MEng, MS, MBA, PhD), he joined the family business in 1987 and became CEO in 2004. Known for his environmental advocacy and scientific approach, Johnson champions sustainable packaging and pulled SC Johnson into the fight against plastic waste.

Felix Baker is a highly influential biotech-focused investor and co-founder of Baker Brothers Advisors, a leading hedge fund specializing in healthcare and biotechnology investing. Through his firm, established in 2000, Felix manages over $20 billion in assets and helped generate an estimated $8 billion gain from early investments in Seagen. A PhD immunologist and Stanford alumnus, he also serves on boards of key biotech companies and contributes to Stanford’s biosciences initiatives.

Fatih Ozmen is a Turkish‑American aerospace engineer and entrepreneur who co‑owns and leads Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC). He began as an intern in 1981 and in 1994, alongside his wife, Eren Özmen, acquired SNC—which then had only 20 employees. Together they expanded it to a global defense and space-technology firm with over 3,000 staff across multiple countries and major programs including the Dream Chaser spacecraft and key NASA and DoD contracts.

Farris Wilks is a self-made billionaire who, alongside his brother Dan, founded Frac Tech Services in 2002. After selling their majority stake for approximately $3.5 billion in 2011, Farris now directs his wealth into evangelical philanthropy, major land ownership across Idaho and Montana, and leads the Assembly of Yahweh 7th Day church in Cisco. He is also one of the most prolific conservative donors nationally. 

Everett Dobson is an Oklahoma-based billionaire entrepreneur and philanthropist. As Executive Chairman of Dobson Fiber (and former CEO of Dobson Communications), he built one of the country’s largest rural wireless providers—from a family-owned telephone company into a $1.6 billion business across 17 states, sold to AT&T in 2007. He now leads regional fiber‑optics expansion, serves as a minority owner of the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder, and chairs leading thoroughbred racing organizations.

Evan Clark “Ev” Williams is an American pioneer of the social internet. He co-founded Pyra Labs, created Blogger, served as CEO of Twitter (2008–2010), and launched Medium, a leading long-form publishing platform. A graduate by drop‑out who popularized blogging and micro‑blogging, he now leads the impact investment firm Obvious Ventures.

Evan Spiegel co‑founded Snap Inc. (initially Snapchat) in 2011 while studying product design at Stanford. Under his leadership, Snap evolved into a global social media firm with ~400+ million daily users, launching viral innovations like Stories and AR lenses. Spiegel holds over 95 % of Snap’s voting power alongside co‑founder Bobby Murphy and remains its CEO. He also supports youth arts and education through the Spiegel Family Fund with his wife Miranda Kerr.

Evan Sharp is the American entrepreneur and design visionary who co‑founded Pinterest in 2010 alongside Ben Silbermann and Paul Sciarra. An architecture graduate from the University of Chicago and Columbia GSAPP alumnus, Sharp led the product’s signature grid design and served as Chief Design & Creative Officer. Known for infusing visual simplicity into engineering, he helped Pinterest evolve from a side project into a global platform with hundreds of millions of users.

Ernest C. “Ernie” Garcia, III is the American tech‑entrepreneurial executive behind Carvana, the disruptive used‑car retail marketplace he co‑founded in 2012. A Stanford alumnus in Management Science & Engineering, he previously worked at DriveTime and RBS Greenwich Capital. Under his leadership, Carvana went public in 2017 and became a Fortune 500 company. Despite market volatility, Garcia continues to steer its turnaround as CEO and Chairman.

Ernest García II is a self-made billionaire automotive entrepreneur and investor. After a criminal conviction in 1990 tied to the Lincoln Savings & Loan collapse, he rebuilt his fortune by acquiring and scaling DriveTime Automotive Group—a used‑car sales and financing company targeting subprime customers. He also remains the largest individual shareholder of Carvana, the online used‑car platform founded by his son, Ernest Garcia III. As of early 2025, García’s net worth is estimated at around $16–21 billion.

Eric S. Yuan is a Chinese‑American tech entrepreneur who founded Zoom Video Communications in 2011 and remains its CEO and largest individual shareholder (≈22%). After a high‑growth career at WebEx/Cisco, he built Zoom into a global leader in video conferencing—transforming remote work and communication worldwide. He holds degrees from Shandong University and China University of Mining and Technology, and is a prolific inventor and philanthropist.

Eric Lefkofsky is a tech entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist. He co‑founded Groupon, InnerWorkings, Echo Global Logistics, and Mediaocean, and now serves as CEO of Tempus AI, advancing precision medicine using AI. He also co-leads Lightbank, a venture fund backing disruptive startups, and chairs the Lefkofsky Family Foundation.

Eldrick Tont “Tiger” Woods is widely considered one of golf’s greatest players and one of the few athlete‑billionaires. With 82 PGA Tour wins including 15 majors, he pioneered global value in golf and re‑energized the sport after his 2021 car crash. Woods also owns ventures including PopStroke mini‑golf courses, a restaurant, golf‑course design business, and co-founded TMRW Sports and TGL with Rory McIlroy. Today, he remains active despite injuries and maintains a 15‑time major winner legacy. 

Egon Pierre Durban is a billionaire computer scientist turned private equity leader. He joined Silver Lake in 1999 as a founding principal and rose to co‑CEO in December 2019. As lead dealmaker, Durban has steered headline investments including Skype, Airbnb, Twitter, Dell, and Endeavor Group—helping Silver Lake grow to ~$104 billion in AUM and stake major influence across tech, media, and sports.

Edward Stack took over Dick’s Sporting Goods from his father in 1984 and transformed it from a two-store local chain into a Fortune 500 sporting-goods empire with over 800 stores and $13B+ in revenue. A vocal advocate for gun control after the Parkland shooting, he discontinued assault‑style rifles from all stores. He remains Executive Chairman and largest individual shareholder.