Steven Udvar-Hazy

Considered the godfather of the airplane leasing industry, Steven Udvar-Hazy was fascinated by airplanes from his teenage years. During college at UCLA, he co-founded International Lease Finance Corporation, which became one of the largest aircraft lessors in the world. Currently, he serves as CEO of Air Lease Corporation. As a philanthropist, he has donated to institutions including Stanford University and the Smithsonian Institution. The National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center was named in his honor. Updated 2010