26. Russell Albanese

For nearly 70 years, Russell Albanese’s family run, full-service real estate development firm, the Albanese Organization, has been enhancing communities across Long Island and the region through its dedication to creating high-quality commercial and residential buildings of distinction that optimize value and are environmentally responsible. An advocate of sustainable development, Albanese has spoken on the importance of the issue at professional conferences around the country. He was a founding board member of the U.S. Green Building Council’s New York City chapter, a co-chair of the Environment Committee of the New York Building Congress, and is an active member of other industry-related organizations and charities. Albanese is currently on the boards of Sustainable Long Island, the Nature Conservancy, and Family Service League. There’s a reason that Albanese was designated the master developer of Wyandanch Rising, the $38-million redevelopment project on Long Island: It epitomizes what a walkable, transit-oriented development reflecting Smart Growth principles is supposed to look like—a vision he’s had for years. Now, thanks to his perseverance and devout commitment to excellence, it’s finally becoming a reality—just one of so many projects Albanese has championed that improve, and even elevate, their surrounding communities in the process.