Sheila Bair

AGE: 54
OCCUPATION: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation chairwoman
PREVIOUS APPEARANCES ON THE TIME 100: 0

PRO: When the financial institutions began foundering, bank owners (and their customers) looked to Bair, whose cautious optimism helped allay fears of disappearing savings accounts. She successfully lobbied to extend the FDIC's credit line ...

CON: ... though that came only after dire warnings of insolvency. And small banks are livid about the FDIC's higher fees.

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