Alfonse D’Amato

Sen. Al D’Amato. The name is unmistakable and part of the political vernacular, especially if you come from LI. D’Amato’s is a career that most dream about when going into public service. He rose through the local ranks to become a powerful U.S. senator and Republican mastermind. He has always been touted as the man who got former New York Gov. George Pataki to Albany, for example, and continues to wield incredible strength and influence throughout the state and beyond. After losing his Senate seat to Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer, D’Amato founded Park Strategies to cash in on his contacts throughout the country, and he has clients in transportation, healthcare, banking and just about every other segment of business in the free world. And D’Amato continues to make headlines: In recent years, his attempts to make his Lido Beach home bigger was front-page fodder, as was the birth of his son, Alfonse Jr. In January, after his pal and former Senate colleague Fred Thompson bowed out of the 2008 presidential race, Sen. Al endorsed Sen. John McCain. Truth be told, D’Amato was probably one of the first names put on the Power List. His name will most likely be one of the last to remain, too.

Inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2008