There are two types of influence in Philadelphia. There are the people who have worked their way to the top of their fields, who pull all the levers and know all the secrets — the people you’d love to have on speed dial if you ever need to get anything done around here. Then there are those who burst onto the radar unexpectedly, perfectly matched for the moment, and end up changing how the whole city operates. In these tumultuous times, who wields such influence is constantly changing. This is our completely unscientific, highly debatable effort to track the evolving power players in the city: to celebrate those who, in the past year and the years before, made moves that shape where we’ve been, and those who, in the year ahead, will have the biggest role in determining our future.

REGINA HAIRSTON

Black Business Queen

IMPRESSIVE TRANSITION: Following the abrupt departure of her short-tenured predecessor, the African American Chamber of Commerce president hasn’t missed a beat as she’s raised the profile of the city’s longtime Black business hub with increased corporate partnerships and bolder pandemic relief programs. STEPPING UP: In August, Hairston launched AACC’s first cohort pairing Black business owners with CEO mentors as part of its buzzworthy “BuildingBackBlack” initiative.