Jeremy Rifkin (1943-Present) - Founder of The Foundation on Economic Trends, Rifkin has authored 17 books, many of them international bestsellers, and is one of the most influential economists in the world. The National Journal named him one of the 150 most influential shapers of federal governmental policies. Rifkin's monthly column on global issues appears in newspapers around the world, and he frequently testifies before Congress on a variety of issues.