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The 2009 CRM Market Awards: The 2009 Influential Leaders

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One of the most heartbreaking stretches of no-man's land is the hair's breadth that separates the dreamer and the visionary: The dreamer appears bathed in disappointment, while the visionary seems destined for greatness. CRM has always sported plenty of each, and it's surprisingly hard to tell them apart at times. (Don't be surprised if a few of the people you consider thought leaders were seen as the windmill-tilters of yesteryear.) Influence, it seems, is too often in the eye of the beholder, so behold CRM magazine's Influential Leaders for 2009. Nary a dreamer in the bunch-every one of them a true visionary, and generous enough to share some of that vision with us. Dreamers have to beg for our attention; visionaries are kind enough to part with some of their own.

THIS YEAR'S RECIPIENTS, IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER:


The Cloud Commando

MARC BENIOFF
COFOUNDER, CHAIRMAN, AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SALESFORCE.COM


The Facilitator

CHRIS BROGAN
PRESIDENT, NEW MARKETING LABS


The Casual Cobbler

TONY HSIEH
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, ZAPPOS.COM


The Aggregator

GUY KAWASAKI
AUTHOR, COFOUNDER, ALLTOP


The Fast Follower

ANTHONY LYE
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR CRM, ORACLE


The Socialist

ROSS MAYFIELD
CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT, AND COFOUNDER, SOCIALTEXT


The Event Horizon

TIM O'REILLY
FOUNDER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, O'REILLY MEDIA


The Strategist

JEREMIAH OWYANG
SENIOR ANALYST, FORRESTER RESEARCH

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