Chris Bertelli is a genius who sells decorated wooden boxes from Poland, scuba dives, does independent research, and builds an occasional web site.

Jeff Cares founded Alidade Incorporated, which combines military-style war games and agent-based models to create a new approach to business simulations.

Stan Davis is one of the world's best-known futurists, a prolific author, the man who coined the notion of mass customization, and the co-author of The Art of Business.

Peter Durand is an artist and graphic facilitator who transforms meetings from predictable to magical.

Jon Fay is the founding partner of Wilson Alan LLC, creates executive development programs that are unique in their deep understanding of their clients‘ industries and internal cultures.  

Seth Godin is one of the few marketing mavens who isn't a fraud; not only is he a brilliant speaker, he is also the author of (a personal favorite) Really Bad PowerPoint.

Osvaldo Golijov is perhaps the greatest composer alive today. In works like La Pasión Según San Marcos, Ainadamar, and Ayre, he has brought rhythm and lyricism back to serious music.

Larry Keeley has more to say about innovation than anyone I've read or met.

Kevin Kelly founded Wired magazine, wrote Out of Control, and is a role model in his wisdom, curiosity, and niceness.

Lucy Kimbell is both an artist and an engineer, and she is the one performance artist who understands the world that exists outside the art world.

Christopher Meyer constructs networks and shared conversations involving people in business, science, and society.

Steve Piersanti is the founder of Berrett-Koehler Publishers, and he gives people the gift of finding their own voices.

Joe Pine is a writer and consultant best known for his book The Experience Economy and his annual "Thinkabout".

Marc Scorca is the CEO of Opera America and was the remarkable force behind the National Performing Arts Conventions, held in Pittsburgh and Denver.