9. Seymour Liebman

As executive vice president, chief administrative officer and general counsel for Canon U.S.A., Liebman has his hand on the pulse of myriad levels of the global digital imaging leader’s business decisions, from financial and personnel matters to legal determinations. In this capacity, he has had direct influence on the company’s direction, its growth and its prominence on the world stage. Liebman’s dedication to excellence equally transfers to his company’s unwavering commitment to Long Island: Last month, Canon U.S.A. celebrated the setting of the last segment of steel for its new North and South American headquarters—in Melville. With the national economy still not out of the woods, and as the Island continues to weather an exodus, Canon U.S.A.—whose $45-billion parent company ranked No. 5 in the computer industry on Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies 2011 list—is digging in deeper, choosing to invest in our collective futures. That’s a powerful statement.