If you don't get your stuff together, you're not going to graduate with your friends. After struggling through high school, the then-17-year-old Ramdass wanted to ensure she would graduate with her friends. Heading to a local Barnes and Noble bookstore, Ramdass had one goal: Buy a book, because at that age, she had never read a novel from start to finish.
When Mark Barak, a former corporate executive, became a restaurateur, he decided to take better care of his employees in terms of financial benefits and health care, in order to help them, lessen its turnover rate and boost profits. That strategy is paying off at his six La Pecora Bianca's and one Mama Mezze, all in Manhattan. For a dozen years, Barak held several senior executive positions including a three-year stint from 2009-2012 as senior vice-president of international development at the NBA.