David Vitale

35. Brad Keywell 37. Cardinal Francis George 36 David Vitale Age: 66 Occupation: President, Chicago Board of Education Next Back Even before Mayor Emanuel tapped him to lead the city’s school board in 2011, this one-time head of the Chicago Board of Trade had insider cred: He was the behind-the-scenes budgetary guru for wunderkind CPS … Read more

Tyrone Fahner

65. Tom Wilson 67. John Calamos Sr. 66 Tyrone Fahner Age: 70 Occupation: Partner, Mayer Brown Next Back This high-powered litigator has gone on the offensive on the state’s pension issue. “The problem is ‘unfixable’ because you, collectively, won’t fix it,” he wrote in a letter to Governor Quinn (No. 70) in November. Could Fahner’s … Read more

Pat Quinn

69. Michael Ferro Jr. 71. Jim Franczek Jr. 70   Pat Quinn Age: 64 Occupation: Governor, State of Illinois Next Back He made the list this year! (To see why, read "Can't This Man Get Any Respect?") Photograph: NANCY STONE/CHICAGO TRIBUNE  

Brendan Sodikoff

84. Desirée Rogers 86. Christopher Kennedy 85 Brendan Sodikoff Age: 34 Occupation: Restaurateur Next Back This prolific trendsetter (Gilt Bar, Bavette’s) draws a see-and-be-seen crowd that includes many names on this list. Photograph: ALEX GARCIA/CHICAGO TRIBUNE

James Reynolds Jr.

63. Robert Falls 65. Tom Wilson 64 James Reynolds Jr. Age: 58 Occupation: Chairman and CEO, Loop Capital Markets Next Back He’s an influential African-American investment banker who believes in fostering talented young minorities. And the boutique firm he cofounded just completed its first billion-dollar deal, leading a municipal bond sale for the City of … Read more

Anita Alvarez

98. Terry Duffy 100. Andrew Mason 99 Anita Alvarez Age: 53 Occupation: State’s attorney, Cook County Next Back Last year she seemed to defend police coercion in a disastrous 60 Minutes interview and shrank from charging Richard Vanecko, the nephew of Richard M. Daley (No. 52), with manslaughter—decisions that tarnished her once-rising star. Photograph: BRIAN … Read more

James Bell

93. Jesse Ruiz 95. Joanne Smith 94 James Bell Age: 64 Occupation: Chairman, Chicago Infrastructure Trust Next Back Chicago’s bones need fixing, and the ex-Boeing executive runs the panel that decides how to spend the money. That alone makes Bell a player, especially if he can keep the politics and dealmaking clean. Photograph: NANCY STONE/CHICAGO … Read more