3. Scott Rechler

Scott Rechler is proof positive of the old adage, “No risk, no reward.” After leaving the family business, Rechler formed RexCorp in 2007, moved away from high-end office space real estate, and began building entertainment complexes and upscale housing developments. The result has been a lucrative career marked with high-profile deals. His latest? Teaming up with fellow LI mogul and owner of the New York Islanders, Charles Wang, to develop the sprawling acreage surrounding Nassau Coliseum known as The Lighthouse, a project now being reviewed by the Town of Hempstead. He’s also on the boards of the Association for a Better Long Island and Association for a Better New York, and is a member of the Hofstra Honors College Advisory Committee.