key member of the finance team that enables Bellevue Hospital Center, the nation’s oldest public hospital, to treat some 12,000 patients daily. Reporting directly to the chief financial officer, Green oversees a budget of more than $1 billion, which finances, among other areas, the diagnostic treatment centers, clinics, and nursing facilities. Previously, Green served as deputy chief financial officer and director of finance at New York’s Harlem Hospital, responsible for a budget of $300 million and handling everything from auditing and accounts payable distributions to cash management and data processing. Her determination, drive, and work ethic have led to many great opportunities, including her promotion in 2004 to deputy commissioner of the budget at the New York City Human Resources Administration where she oversaw $6.1 billion in public assistance. Green, who earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Morgan State University, a master’s in public administration from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and a certificate in financial planning from St. John’s University, played an instrumental role in preparing the financials that resulted in the merger of New York’s Fire Department and Emergency Medi
cal Services bureau during the administration of former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. –Hyacinth B. Carbon
Lewis Hamilton, Professional Athlete / 22. Why he’s hot: The British-born Formula One race driver for the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team has shifted into high gear, smashing speed records in the process. Winning four of the first 15 Grand Prix races in 2007 (and reaching the podium 12 times–nine of those consecutively), he became the youngest driver and first rookie since 1950 to lead the world championships. Hamilton became the first black driver to compete in and win a Formula One race, the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal. He’s also the first black driver to pick up the checkered flag in a major race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, driving away with the U.S. Grand Prix. The speed demon, who began racing and winning competitions in Britain when he was just 8 years old, earned the attention of one of the league’s premier racing teams, McLaren, as a teen. Hamilton has reportedly signed a multimillion-dollar contract with HarperCollins to publish his autobiography, Lewis Hamilton: My Story, detailing his ascension from racing go-karts to international racing sensation. –Sonya A. Donaldson
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Rapper / 32. Why he’s hot: This musical mastermind has leveraged his celebrity into a multimillion-dollar business empire. Jackson made headlines last May when he reportedly walked away with about $400 million after Glacéau, a company he owned a stake in and the distributor of Vitamin Water, was purchased by Coca-Cola. The rapper has also developed several products under the G-Unit corporate banner, including the G-Unit Footwear Collection by RBK, a partnership with Reebok that has generated more than $70 million in gross sales; and G-Unit Apparel by Ecko Unlimited, which raked in more than $100 million in gross sales. His business empire continues to flourish through the development of recording, publishing, and video game ventures.
Barrington Irving, Aviator / 24. Why he’s hot: Irving