Chairman, Best Buy
Founded: 1966
Employees: 180,000
Schulze started the superstore electronics retailer, first named Sound of Music, in Minnesota. It expanded offerings to include appliances and computers in the mid-'80s, adding stores to match, and embraced management efficiency. The chain now has more than 1,000 international locations. "If you don't take risks, you won't get where you want to go," Schulze told Investor’s Business Daily in 2000. "And if you're not willing to take risks yourself, why would anyone want to stay with you? You have to believe in yourself and take chances in the pursuit of that belief. Your people will see that and gather ‘round you."