Neal Patterson co-founded Cerner Corp. in 1979 and developed the company from one system into one of the biggest names in health IT. Cerner now has annual revenue of $3.4 billion and a market value of $25 billion. According to the Cerner Web site, the company’s technology is used at more than 18,000 health care facilities across dozens of countries.

Patterson cofounded the First Hand Foundation to help needy sick children, and, drawing on his childhood growing up on a farm, is involved with the American Royal Association, an agricultural nonprofit. He is also a coowner of the Sporting Kansas City MLS soccer team. Patterson earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Oklahoma State University.