27. David Daly

Few people on this list wield power in both the literal and figurative sense as much as David Daly. Just three years into his utility’s 12-year contract running the region’s electric transmission and distribution system for the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), and Daly’s reputation as a productive, dependable, and trustworthy force working in the public’s best interest is already solidified. That’s no small feat. Tasked with fixing a system highly criticized in the wake of widespread blackouts and power outages wrought by Superstorm Sandy in 2012, Daly has not only risen to the occasion, but exceeded even perhaps some of the most-lofty expectations for his company. In the process, Daly has proven himself dedicated to Long Island’s residents, time and time again. He has the power over how long it takes to get the lights back on after a storm, and consequently, the ability to restore not just electricity, but hope. Now that’s true power.