23. Dan Holland, 38
Historical preservationist

Dan Holland founded and chairs the Young Preservationists Association of Pittsburgh, which promotes the preservation of historic buildings through outreach and educational events, educational programs and research reports. "For the past five years, we have published a report that details the top-10 best [local] preservation opportunities...places like August Wilson's home and the Union Project," he says.

Holland also designed a project to enable high-schoolers in Monessen, Washington, Brownsville and Pitcairn to produce videos that detail how they would preserve their town's history. Early next year, he'll unveil the region's first tour of places related to African-American history.

"Our history is our No. 1 competitive advantage," Holland says. "Nobody has...our hills, architecture or history. And when young people are out looking for a place to live and work, what better place - with better authenticity - than Pittsburgh?"

24. Vinatha Nathan, 36
Volunteer

"I am passionate about dedicating my time to endeavors that build promise in the region," says Vinatha Nathan. Working for Eaton Corp., Nathan merges her company's IT systems with those of newly acquired businesses. Her demanding schedule keeps her trotting around the globe, yet she finds ways to volunteer her time. "I needed to find a way to give back with my travel commitments, so I started volunteering my time with the Special Olympics. It's very humbling to see somebody take one step forward, just a few inches...and they're so happy and their family is cheering."

Other local organizations that benefit from Nathan's time and talents are the United Way, Junior Achievement, Meals on Wheels, Habitat for Humanity and Math Counts, a program that prepares middle-schoolers for math competitions. "I dabble; it's fantastic to be able to give back," she says.

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