Just Missed — See You Next Year.

Richard Linklater, 39
President
Detour Film, Austin
The indie filmmaker isn't dazed and confused when it comes to digital movie making. His new feature film, Waking Life, was shot and edited digitally and will be computer animated.

Thomas J. Meredith, 49
Senior Vice President and CFO
Dell Computer, Round Rock
The breakout star of Dell's top ranks is responsible for its corporate planning and development and investor relations. And he's a player in public affairs, advising both UT and the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business.

Greg Peters, 39
Chairman and CEO
Vignette, Austin
Less than a year after he took over Vignette, which helps its customers build businesses online, the company has one of the highest market capitalizations of any Central Texas high-tech firm.

Sanjiv Sidhu, 42
Founder and CEO
i2 Technologies, Irving
The former Texas Instruments engineer's software company, which creates online marketplaces for e-commerce, saw its market capitalization soar to almost $20 billion in January.

Richard Tapia, 61
Math Professor
Rice University, Houston
The son of Mexican immigrants is an adviser to Houston's GirlTECH, which helps teachers incorporate computer technology into the classroom and encourage girls to pursue careers in math and science.