Who are 2002's Top 20 MIP's in Harford County? These are the people who get things done, hopefully for the benefit of everyone. Some of the choices were obvious, but others were tough calls. It's an issue of perspective. But no matter who is included, somebody deserving will always be left out. And frankly, we don't always know all there is to know about some of our choices. Realizing all of these shortcomings, we plunged ahead anyway. The first four are kind of obvious; the remaining sixteen may be open to debate. Here we present our first annual list of the Top 20 Most Influential People in Harford County.

1. County Executive James Harkins has to be at the top of the list. He is the person who collects and spends our taxes - currently around $450 million annually - hopefully for our collective good. No one, not even the County Council, has as much direct economic and political influence year after year as the County Executive. Good or bad, this is the way it is.

2. Then comes APG Commander Colonel Mardi U. Mark. We could easily switch Colonel Mark and Executive Harkins. The Aberdeen and Edgewood Proving Grounds together inject several hundred million dollars into the local economy each year. They also regularly move hundreds of people into and out of the county to meet various Army objectives. The commander is a formidable force in the local economy at any time.

3. Public School Superintendent Jacqueline C. Haas will direct the disbursement of around $250 million in the coming year for public school education in the County. Since her appointment, she has had to deal with several high-profile issues - security, building maintenance, over-crowded schools, redistricting, and an ever-rising-but-never-enough budget.

4. We think Sheriff Joseph P. Meadows belongs here this year because, with today's nationwide terrorist threat, law and order is front and center. This is regrettable, of course. But we look to the Sheriff to walk that delicate line between freedom and justice, even in these troubled times.

5. Arguably the late John H. O'Neill, owner of O'Neill Enterprises, had more influence than anyone else in the last 50 years over the direction the County has taken. Farmer, auctioneer, real estate mogul, bank director, politician. Eight years as a county commissioner. The first County Council President under the new charter government. Driving force behind the annual Farm Fair and other organizations. He was a man for all seasons.

6. Real estate developer Clark Turner, owner of Clark Turner Companies, is the quintessential developer in the area over the last 30 years. Like it or not, he has had a lot to do with the look and feel of Harford County, and has pretty much set the standard for quality properties locally. And he hasn't slowed down. His most recent project, Park Avenue outside of Bel Air, is very ambitious.

7. Bob Ward began, as I remember it, as Ward and Bosley, later striking out on his own. He has been a prominent builder in the county for the last 30 years. It's hard to know who has changed the face of the county more, Bob Ward or Clark Turner.

8. And we continue with another local developer, Dale Hess, who has focused on hotels. We don't know much about Dale, but we think he belongs in the top 20 anyway.

9. Attorney John Karas, chairman and CEO of Harford Bank, and principle owner of Baldwin Manor, worked hard behind the scenes to help make Ripken Stadium a reality.

10. George Iglesson, owner of the Ideal Diner, and a former Mayor of Aberdeen, has been around long enough to know how the system works. His views on the issues are sought out by nearly all of the local politicians. The Diner is the place to go for breakfast in the county.

11. Howard S. Klein is the patriarch of the Klein family and the owner of five supermarkets in the county. I think for the most part he did it the hard way, building his business year by year. His family does extensive volunteer work in the community, and they are active politically behind the scenes.

12. John D. Worthington IV, publisher of The Aegis, and Vice President and Publisher of Homestead Publishing Company, and the Worthington family itself, has been a stalwart in the county for a long time. The paper was sold to The Sun a couple of decades ago for big bucks, but J.D. hasn't retired. His influence is still strong in the county.

13. Claudia Chiesi, President of Harford Community College, has a budget that is around $28 million annually. Along with the public school system, HCC has considerable responsibility for turning our teens into intelligent and responsible citizens. And spending our money wisely in the process.

14. Chuck Boyle, President of Boyle Buick in Abingdon. With a strong emphasis on customer service and community involvement, Boyle Buick owns the over-50 car buyer. Like the Kleins, the Boyles are a fixture in the county and active in the community.

15. Lyle Sheldon, President, CEO, and member of the board of Upper Chesapeake Health System, has done more to influence the direction and extent of health services in Harford than anyone in recent years. He also wields a mean baton.

16. Allen Fair seems to concentrate his real estate development efforts in and near Havre de Grace. We don't know of too much that gets done in that area without his input.

17. Vi Ripken may not play baseball, but she knows a pretty important man in the sport who once did. Needless to say, if Mrs. Ripken decided to do something in the county, she has the influence to get a good hearing. My bet is that she had quite a bit of input on Ripken Stadium.

18. Augustus Brown, senior partner in the century-old law firm of Brown, Brown and Brown. No local judge gets appointed without their input. How's that for influence?

19. Frederick O. Mitchell, local farmer and cannery operator in Perryman. Like John O'Neill, he has been a behind-the-scenes operative in county politics for the past fifty-plus years. Fred still has clout.

20. And finally, we're going to suggest that Ed Abel, out of town developer of Bulle Rock, belongs with this group of the County's most influential people. Bulle Rock keeps getting bigger and better. And Ed has his eye on the Havre de Grace waterfront too. All of this is just what Havre de Grace and Harford County need to grow.

There you have it, our nominations for the most influential people in Harford County in 2002. We probably forgot someone. Let us know who they are. We'll be glad to consider them for next year's nominations. We are also trying to think of something more tangible for our nominees than this online mention. Stay with us.

Daniel McCoy