1. Thomas Spota

Since he came into office, Spota has been a whirlwind of change. His aggressive prosecution of political corruption, school scandals and sexual predators has cemented him as the most influential person on LI. Since taking over as DA, he has toppled the Brookhaven GOP, put away former Islip Supervisor Pete McGowan, exposed corruption in Suffolk school districts, put child predators behind bars and racked up an array of other victories for the people of Suffolk County. Spota is a no-nonsense prosecutor who has not been blinded by politics and has cast a wide net in dealing with crime. Time and again, he has brought down giants, names that seemed to be indestructible. And he’s not done. Spota’s train will keep on rolling. Rarely has someone done so much to impact the quality of life in the region and made it a safer, more honest place to live, work and play.