Richard Yuengling, Jr.

Dick Yuengling, fifth-generation owner of D.G. Yuengling & Son, turned his family's struggling brewery into one of America's largest beer makers.When he bought out his father in 1985, the company was producing 137,000 barrels per year; now it pumps out some 2.8 million barrels annually.After dropping out of Lycoming College, Yuengling joined the business but soon walked out following an argument with his father about modernization.He spent 11 years running a beer distributorship peddling Yuengling and its competitors to local bars and stores before buying his father out in 1985.He quickly upgraded his packaging, equipment and distributor network, then struck gold with Yuengling Lager, today responsible for about 85% of sales.