Kazuo Inamori

Founder, chairman emeritus of Kyocera, maker of ceramic electronic components, solar panels, cell phones; company stock up 9% over the past year. In February, Sprint Nextel Corp., the third- largest U.S. wireless carrier, added a Kyocera smartphone to its lineup. Trying to turn around bankrupt regional carrier Japan Airlines; assumed chairman's post early last year. A trained Buddhist priest, he heads Inamori Foundation, which awards Kyoto Prize.