120-Year-Old Biographical Database Announces Most Influential People Of 2020

The 120-year-old biographical publisher recognizes leaders and pioneers who shaped a challenging year.

By: A.A. Cristi Jan. 19, 2021

Marquis Who's Who (MWW), the world's leading biographical publisher, has released its annual list of America's Most Influential People for the 2020 year. Headed by MWW CEO Erica Lee, a selection committee provided consultation to amass the 2020 list, which is comprised of 20 diverse honorees from across the United States, who have roots in entertainment, health care, government, philanthropy, and the arts.

Established in 1898, MWW has sought to document the lives and accomplishments of the world's most prominent, renowned and infamous people in print format. Since then, the MWW family of directories has grown to include the biographies of notable leaders and achievers from the United States and beyond. The directory suite boasts more than a dozen focused compilations, including Who's Who in America, Who's Who of American Women, Who's Who of Emerging Leaders, and Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare. In 2002, MWW expanded its suite from a print-only series to include a proprietary online database, which is utilized by many leading academic institutions and corporate and public libraries around the globe for research purposes.

"2020 will be a year that most of us will never forget, and Marquis Who's Who wants to celebrate those who have been leading figures that sought and fought to make a difference," says CEO Erica Lee. "Who's Who lists, issued several times a year, seek to highlight and amplify the voices of these significant players across many different genres, helping to continue to forge our path as the foremost global biographical source for journalists, researchers and search firms around the world."

Selected honorees for 2020 include the following:

· Guy Fieri and José Andrés: These acclaimed chefs raised millions of dollars to assist the restaurant industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pair's history in philanthropy is far-reaching; they have spearheaded initiatives to assist the culinary industry for many years. Andrés is well recognized for visiting disaster areas to provide food and supplies to emergency personnel and residents in need.

· Doja Cat: The TikTok singer and social media influencer dominated the airwaves in 2020, and as a result, amassed a huge worldwide following.

· Dr. Anthony Fauci: The public face of the American COVID-19 response and a preeminent scientist, Dr. Fauci remains a trusted and knowledgeable source of information for millions.

· Audrey Gruss: Founder of the Hope for Depression Research Foundation, Gruss pledged $30 million in 2020 to provide necessary funding for five pre-clinical trials for promising new treatments for major depression and anxiety at university laboratories across the country. The new treatment initiative selected five trials that are ready for pilot testing in humans at Mount Sinai, Johns Hopkins, the University of California San Diego, the University of Utah, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Gruss also launched Hope Fragrance, for which all profits go directly to depression research.

· Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris: A member of the Democratic Party, Harris will become vice president on January 20, 2021, alongside President-elect Joe Biden, having defeated the incumbent president Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence in the 2020 election. Harris will be the United States' first female vice president, the highest-ranking female elected official in U.S. history, and the first African American and Asian American vice president.

· Matt Maloney: The CEO and founder of GrubHub, who was instrumental in helping restaurants to remain in business throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

· Elliot Page: Formerly known as Ellen Page, the actor revealed himself as transgender in late 2020, providing inspiration and a role model for LGBTQ people everywhere.

· Brock Pierce: Billionaire philanthropist, innovator, and 2020 Independent Party presidential candidate, Pierce took his inventiveness and crypto-currency expertise to the political arena last year. His campaign America 2.0, exemplifies the technology leader's vision and MWW is watching what he will cultivate in 2021.

· Dr. Ramon Tallaj: Founder of Somos Community Care and member of Governor Andrew Cuomo's New York State COVID-19 Task Force, he has been on the frontlines of New York's COVID-19 response from day one. He coordinated the set-up of more than 50 trilingual testing centers that served more than one million people nationwide and over two million meals to the hungriest and neediest New Yorkers. To date, Dr. Tallaj has coordinated the administration of hundreds of vaccinations in the fight against COVID-19.

The complete list of 2020 honorees is listed below:

· Guy Fieri and José Andrés

· Doja Cat

· Kristen M. Clarke

· Ta-Nehisi Coates

· Dr. Anthony Fauci

· Robert B. Ford

· Alex Goldstein

· Audrey Gruss

· Kamala Harris

· LeBron James

· Christina Koch and Jessica Meir