William L. Davis - Donnelley's Number-one Son

Davis may possess the talents R.R. Donnelley needs in a chairman and CEO, but he admits that he didn't initially see himself as a likely candidate. A recruitment firm saw otherwise. Charged with finding an heir to Walter, the executive search company contacted Davis.

"My first reaction was surprise that somebody in the printing industry would be interested in somebody with my experience," he says. "Remember: I didn't understand printing very well."