Four people with Chester County ties are among this year’s 150 most influential Philadelphians, according to the recently released list by Philadelphia Magazine. 

Ken Lawrence ranked highest at No. 56. Born in Chester County, Lawrence became the first Democrat and the first Black person to chair the SEPTA board after being selected for it earlier this year.

In addition to running one of the nation’s largest transit agencies, Lawrence is a senior VP of corporate affairs at Highmark Blue Shield. 

Strafford native Nick Mead ranked at No. 60 together with other local Olympians who returned from Paris with gold medals. Mead was part of the four-man team that eked out a victory against New Zealand in a photo finish. 

Willistown Township resident M. Night Shyamalan placed at No. 76. The famous director continues to buck Hollywood norms by always creating something new, often using Philadelphia and its suburbs as a backdrop. 

Ranked at No. 102, Salim Ramji took over the reins of Malvern-based Vanguard in July after the retirement of longtime CEO Tim Buckley.

The move was seen as a surprise, as Vanguard hired Ramji from BlackRock instead of promoting internally. 

Read more about the most influential Philadelphians in the Philadelphia Magazine. 

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