Roy Exum
When Time Magazine announced its view of the “100 Most Influential People In The World” this week, it amused me that I could only identify 23 of them. As I sought to learn more about those I couldn’t identify, I was both staggered and thrilled by the heroes who walk among us.
I quickly learned that to list all of them was prohibitive in length so here is “Part Two” – the second 50 people on the list that I was unable to post in my first story that appeared yesterday.
I detest stories that are split, or presented in a so-called “series,” because too often we miss part of a story but feel in this case it is warranted.
While I apologize that the short descriptions make the effort so lengthy, I feel it is important for us to marvel at the reasons these people were chosen. A better description can be found in this week’s Time magazine, which is now on newsstands.
The rest of those chosen:
CHEN LIHUA – Madam Lihua, 71, of China is a famed philanthropist who, as chairman of Fu Wah International Group, has enabled many to reach their dreams.
WARREN BUFFETT – The “Oracle of Omaha,”81, is a businessman of whom President Obama says, “reminds us that life is not just about the value you seek. It's about the values you stand for.”
ALICE WALTON – The 62-year-old daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton, she is building a massive art collection in Bentonville., Ark., to share with the world.
HAROLD HAMM – A wealthy oil man from Oklahoma, he is addressing the world’s energy crisis and creating hundreds of jobs.
SHERYL SANDBERG – At age 42, the hands-on mother of two is also the chief operating officer of Facebook.
SARA BLAKELY – She created the Spanx line of girdles (compression garments) and became a billionaire. Now there are Spanx for men, commonly called “mirtles.”
TIM COOK – The CEO of Apple, he has quite successfully succeeded the late Steve Jobs.
EIKE BATISTA – The richest man in Brazil, he secured the 2016 Olympics for Rio de Janeiro and works hard to benefit every facet of life in the country.
DANIEL EK – Just 29, his company Spotify is “revolutionizing the music business and giving artists the opportunity to recoup revenue once washed away by Internet piracy.”
VIRGINIA ROMETTY – The first female to head IBM, she is involved in far too many exciting things to worry about an invitation from the Augusta National golf club.
BARACK OBAMA – At age 50, he is the President of the United States.
GOODLUCK JONATHAN – Actually, his name is Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan and he, 54, has valiantly renewed hope as the president of Nigeria.
XI JINPING – If all goes on plan this 58-year-old heir will become the president of China this fall.
FATOU BENSOUDA – An African woman, she will become chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on June 16.
CHRISTINE LAGARDE – At 56, she is the first woman ever to become managing director of the International Monetary Fund and is considered a good candidate to one day govern France.
MARIO DRAGHI – At 64, he is president of the European Central Bank.
U THEIN SEI – The 67-year-old is president of the 55 million who live in Burma.
AYATULLAH ALI KHAMENEI – A 72-year-old cleric who has never ventured out of Tehran but is the Supreme Leader of Iran.
MITT ROMNEY – The former governor of Massachusetts aspires to be the next president of the United States.
JUAN MANUEL SANTOS – The president of Columbia has a keen focus on education in his country.
TIMOTHY DOLAN – The Roman Catholic priest is the Archbishop of New York.
PORTIA SIMPSON MILLER – The first female prime minister of Jamaica seeks to break ties with Britain and make the island nation a republic.
MARIO MONTI – Italy’s prime minister seeks to reform the country’s two-tier labor system.
WANG YANG -- A Communist Party leader of Guangdong province, he approved a new local election and an investigation into villagers' complaints of corruption.
MARIA DAS GRACAS SILVA FOSTER -- The new CEO of Brazil's Petrobras and the first woman to run a major oil-and-gas company.
ANDREW CUOMO – A pro-growth Democrat, he is the governor of New York.
IFTIKHAR CHAUDHRY – The head of Pakistan’s Supreme Court, he has called for accountability from the country’s leaders.
MAMATA BANERJEE – The Prime Minister of Indian, the 57-year-old “has emerged as a populist woman of action.”
WALTER ISAACSON – A noted biographer, he has written on Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein and – most recently -- Steven Jobs.
RON PAUL – The 76-year-old Libertarian is a candidate for President of the United States.
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU – The prime minister of Israel has drawn great attention “to the threat Iran poses to Israel, to America, to the region, to its own people and to the free world.”
DILMA ROUSSEFF – The prime minister of Brazil feels social inequality is the biggest problem in South America.
ERIK MARTIN – The 33-year-old whose news website Reddit averages roughly 28 million hits a month and stories are voted up or down by readers.
CECILE RICHARDS – An activist who is the 54-year-old leader of Planned Parenthood.
ANGELA MERKEL – The chancellor (president) of Germany who holds great sway over all of Europe.
LIONEL MESSI – Standing only 5-7, he may be the greatest soccer player in the world.
TILDA SWINTON – A 51-year-old actress, she “evokes the bigger picture and occupies its center.”
HILLARY CLINTON – At 64, she is the secretary of state for the United States.
CATHERINE, DUTCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE, AND PIPPA MIDDLETON – The beautiful sisters, one of whom married a prince and the other so fetching a “photo editor at a British paper recently revealed he is offered as many as 400 paparazzi photos of Pippa every day.”
ADELE – A superstar singer whose popularity is skyrocketing.
MATT LAUER – The host of the “Today” show on NBC who makes a reported $25 million a year.
OSCAR PISTORIUS – A double-amputee sprinter from South Africa who may be good enough to be in the Olympics.
CLAIRE DANES – A television actress who stars on Showtime’s “Homeland.”
STEPHEN COLBERT – A television commentator known for his “Colbert Report.”
AND THE ROGUES …
KIM JONG UN – The Swiss-educated head of North Korea is 29 years old and known as “Lil’ Kim.”
MULLAH MOHAMMED OMAR and SHIEK MOKTAR ALI ZUBEYR – Terrorists known to head the Taliban and leader of the Taliban, and an Islamic militia called al-Shabab.
BASHAR ASSAD – The president of Syria who has shown he can kill “most efficiently.”