Tim Murray: President and CEO, Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce

His six-and-a-half-year tenure as lieutenant governor, preceded by six years as Worcester’s mayor, put Murray on the list. He used both to wield much political clout. In both roles, Murray was skilled at leveraging his political power to influence both statewide and local issues, including bringing lots of Beacon Hill pork to Central Massachusetts in the form of state funding for various public projects and programs.

In his new role as president and CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, Murray is tasked with establishing the chamber as the economic-development catalyst for Greater Worcester, especially, the city. It’s no easy task, since chamber membership has dropped over the last decade to about 2,400.

Murray is up to the challenge — raising in excess of $1 million for a special development fund in less than six months. However, his job is being made more daunting by the pending departure of City Manager Michael O’Brien. Murray has hired O’Brien’s long-time chief of staff, Christina Andreoli, to manage the chamber’s day-to-day operations, freeing up Murray to focus on strategy.

Warner Fletcher: Partner, Fletcher Tilton, Worcester

Clifford J. Schorer III: Board of Directors, Worcester Art Museum

Joseph Salois: CEO, Atlas Distributing Inc., Auburn

John Prosser: Chairman, Seven Hills Foundation, Worcester

James Paulhus: President and CEO, UniBank for Savings, Whitinsville

Michael O’Brien: City Manager, City of Worcester (Until Jan. 5, 2014)

Jim McGovern: U.S. Rep., Worcester

Charles Monahan: President, MCPHS University, Worcester

David ‘Duddie’ Massad: Chairman, Commerce Bank & Trust, Worcester

Gordon Lankton: Founder, Museum of Russian Icons and Gallery of African Art, Clinton

Gerald Fels: Trustee Emeritus, Nichols College, Dudley

Fred Eppinger: President and CEO, The Hanover Insurance Group