The 2018 Manhattan Power 50; 11-50

Like father, like son, at least when it comes to Steven Rubenstein’s commitment to New York City. Rubenstein manages the day-to-day operations of the agency made famous by his father, Howard. Steven Rubenstein has been on staff since 1992, and his reach extends to business, media, sports, real estate, health care and education. This year, he took on the high-profile role as chairman of the Association for a Better New York, which is a venue for discussing matters of great consequence.

The Irish-born Michael J. Dowling is a key player in the health care realm, and not just for overseeing Northwell Health. The 66,000-employee behemoth has 23 hospitals and describes itself as New York state’s largest private sector employer. Dowling became president and CEO in 2002 and has become an influential figure in the 16 years since then. The 2017 grand marshall of the New York City St. Patrick’s Day parade, he’s a regular on health policy power lists for good reason.

Bradley Tusk came out this fall with a new book, “The Fixer: My Adventures Saving Startups from Death by Politics.” And it’s as a fixer that Tusk served a municipal master to Michael Bloomberg during his years as mayor. Tusk still understands power enough to be wary of returning to the partisan limelight, but he’s become a go-to consultant teaching big-name clients like Uber how to navigate New York’s corridors of power. Now he’s sharing what he knows with others.

In his day job as executive chairman and CEO of The Madison Square Garden Co., James Dolan can grab attention in a business story or a sports report. But he may increasingly find himself in the news section, as Madison Square Garden’s long-term viability – where it should be, whether it might be relocated and what the area around New York Penn Station should look like a few years from now – becomes even more of an issue in the New York City Council and in Albany.

At Tishman Speyer, Rob Speyer inherited the mantle from his father Jerry Speyer. The family tradition of both management success and political and cultural involvement continues. When it comes to real estate, Tishman Speyer continues to hold center stage, with Rob Speyer leading the company toward a new era of residential and commercial construction. He recently wrapped up an effective five-year run as chairman of the influential Real Estate Board of New York. Expect his reputation to grow with the city’s skyline.

As Google New York’s top external affairs official, William Floyd is a big deal at a company that’s a big deal – and is set to have an even bigger footprint in Manhattan. A link between Google and New York, Floyd helped the company gain a foothold in New York’s tech sector while increasing its stature as a notable neighbor on Eighth Avenue in Manhattan. All signs suggest Floyd and Google will rival Amazon as the city’s next-gen establishment.

When their dad got another gig, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump took over at The Trump Organization. The public never saw the president’s tax returns, and questions loom about what impact the Trump presidency is having on the family business. That issue will only continue to attract scrutiny in the years ahead, and courts will adjudicate the emoluments argument against the administration. In the meantime, the brothers Trump remain the most obvious manifestation of America’s #MAGA moment in their hometown.

Next year marks the 10th anniversary of Cardinal Timothy Dolan’s Manhattan-based tenure as archbishop of New York. He’s been a key player – and a barometer of how church philosophy shifts over time, or at least how the explanations of church policies do. Dolan’s in the New York media limelight, seems comfortable there and has earned his stripes as someone who can talk about topics large and small, from the church’s sex abuse crisis to the latest city government maneuvers.

As the leader of Win, Christine Quinn remains involved in critical issues across New York City. In a sense, the former City Council speaker is back to her roots, advocating for change and assistance for the people who need it most. For the onetime mayoral front-runner, those who watch her work – and her ties to influential politicians like Gov. Andrew Cuomo – cannot help but wonder if she has another run for office in her, municipal or otherwise.

He has gone from a precious spot on Richard Nixon’s enemies list to being one of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s trusted advisers and friends. Sid Davidoff is an old hand – he got his start working for another liberal mayor, John Lindsay – who seems to always be finding new respect, and people look to put his expertise to work for their ideas. Another influential ally is Keith Wright, the Manhattan Democratic Party boss who works for Davidoff’s firm.

As president of the Times Square Alliance since 2002, Tim Tompkins knows what it is like when a place like Times Square – the “crossroads of the world” – is at a crossroads itself. He is an expert in urban transformation and is frequently at the center of discussions about how New York City’s evolving urban landscape can draw tourists and satisfy New Yorkers at the same time. He currently teaches urban planning at New York University’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.

Being president of AT&T New York means that Marissa Shorenstein plays a key role in establishing community relations in the nation’s largest city. She has become rooted in the Manhattan power structure. New York City Council members and local leaders look to her when it comes to regulating the technology industry and establishing long-term policies. Expect Shorenstein to speak out even more in the years ahead – and for her words to matter to the people making decisions in Manhattan.

Sheena Wright has garnered attention as the first woman to lead the United Way of New York City. The new job came at a challenging time. She began her United Way gig on the day that Superstorm Sandy hit New York City in 2012. Since her arrival, she has helped raise about $11 million in disaster relief, while also putting a new focus on literacy efforts and encouraging a self-sufficiency initiative for low-income New Yorkers.

When Eva Moskowitz left the New York City Council, she went from debating the merits of charter schools to running one. Since then, Success Academy Charter Schools has made her the frontwoman in the fight to give charters money, space and attention – while positioning her as a nemesis of Mayor Bill de Blasio and a focus for all kinds of players around educational policy. She has found success with Success, and critics and fans alike wonder what might be next.

At New-York Presbyterian, Dr. Steven Corwin has served with a philosophy that puts patients first. “A sick human being is a sick human being,” he says – and as president and CEO at NewYork-Presbyterian he has increased awareness about an institution that touches the lives of so many New Yorkers. He has reinforced the hospital’s links to two academic institutions, Columbia University and Weill Cornell Medicine, while branding his own service with an omnipresent advertising campaign championing success stories.

Nearly a year ago, Patrick Gaspard was named president of the Open Society Foundations, the philanthropic organization founded by George Soros that promotes democracy and civil society around the globe. Gaspard, who served as U.S. ambassador to South Africa, has strong ties to the Obamas. In New York City, it’s his stint as political director at 1199SEIU – and his more recent role as an informal adviser to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio – that make him influential.

Central Park takes center stage for Manhattanites – and Elizabeth Smith aims to keep it that way. Smith, who had served on the Central Park Conservancy’s board since 2014, took the helm earlier this year and has continued a renaissance in a park that was already in top form. After a career in finance, she served as assistant parks commissioner in the Bloomberg administration. Her husband, Rick Cotton, is the executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Leecia Eve finished fourth in the Democratic primary for state attorney general, but she knows how to play the long game. The daughter of a former assemblyman, her political background gives her credibility, and she has emerged with a higher profile and greater recognition for her legal background and smarts. Look for Eve to remain relevant, and to serve Verizon as a more prominent advocate. The company expected as much in 2013, when it named her vice president of government affairs for the tri-state region.

Being board chairwoman at Lincoln Center is not the easiest role in the best of times. Now, the center is wrestling with how to renovate key parts of its campus, as a plan to redo Alice Tully Hall proved problematic. So Katherine Farley will have to help find new proposals – and what she decides to do will be a big cultural story for the city next year and beyond. Farley is also the wife of the major Manhattan developer Jerry Speyer.

As a senior vice president for TD Bank, Ralph Bumbaca has a view from which to see how power moves and shifts across Manhattan, where the bank has several dozen locations. Bumbaca has had a lengthy career in banking, including as a senior vice president at Banco Popular North America in New York City. The Brooklyn College graduate started out at TD Bank eight years ago handling commercial lending in Brooklyn, and has since been promoted to senior vice president.