It takes a particular level of courage and fortitude to sit in the CEO’s chair. It’s where the buck stops and decisions made affect everyone involved with the organization, from shareholders and boards of directors to the fellow C-suiters, employees and customers. For a CEO to transcend his or her post and become a visionary leader takes something even more – a blend of creativity, empathy and willingness to take certain risks.

What follows is a list of some of the most visionary CEOs in California. There are some highly recognizable faces from major brands alongside some you may not be as familiar with but who are forging new paths and delivering phenomenal results for their organizations. Well-known or upand-coming, each CEO profiled here is special and they all share a common trait: vision.

Based on submitted nominees, the Los Angeles Times B2B Publishing team has alphabetically listed the 76 visionaries, along with insights and information about their careers, practice and some relevant recent successes they’ve achieved.

The criteria used to determine who made this year’s selection included success over the last two years, unique achievements, board affiliations and recognitions.