38. Joseph Gergela

With every farm that disappears from the Island, a piece of our shared history is lost forever. As head of the Long Island Farm Bureau, there was a time that Joe Gergela would have been king of Long Island, but today this kingdom has dwindled as suburban sprawl has paved over much of this historic place. As a result, Gergela’s position is more important than ever. He makes his debut on the Power List this year because he has as many powerful ears in Washington as ears of corn on the Island. Just as comfortable cozying up to U.S. senators as he is with those who sow seeds on the fertile soil of LI, Gergela is the perfect blend of land advocate and power lobbyist.