KEN GRIFFIN

FOUNDER & CEO, CITADEL, MIAMI

Griffin could make news for a head cold but, fortunately, it’s for substantive reasons: Backing a cryptocurrency fundraising round, sparring with the Trump Administration over economic policy, and enough philanthropy to fund scores of Jeff Bezos-level weddings. This year, he gave the National Constitution Center $15 million to build two galleries in time for the 250th birthday of the country. And to have something to see there, he loaned his first-edition copy of the U.S. Constitution — one of the original 14 official prints — that he bought for $43.2 million. He also loaned a previously undisclosed acquisition of a first printing of 17 initial amendments that were whittled down to the 10 we know as the Bill of Rights. The Florida native and Harvard grad is worth $46 billion, according to Forbes. His Citadel manages upward of $63 billion in assets and his Citadel Securities market maker handles one of every four stock trades in the U.S. His philanthropic total is at least $2.3 billion. Among his Florida causes: education in general, math tutoring for Miami-Dade public school children, Cristo Rey, a Catholic prep school for students of limited means, the Underline linear park in Miami, recreation fields, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baptist Health South and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.

Just as crucial to Miami and Florida, his and Citadel’s presence is an endorsement. “Miami is unequivocally one of the great up-and-coming cities, not just in Florida, not just in America, but in the world,” Griffin told Bloomberg Originals this year. “This is one of the most fun places you can possibly imagine living in. What’s wonderful about being in Miami is you go to dinner, and you talk about the future. The optimism here is infectious.”