Winner: Imtiaz Patel, CEO of The Venetoulis Institute and The Baltimore Banner

We thought we would fall for Imtiaz’s wonky passion for local news. But, his mentors, Ted Venetoulis and Stewart Bainum, also imbued him with an unbridled passion for all of Baltimore’s abilities to be a great, inclusive, connected American city. His all-in for BMore immersion includes hosting The Baltimore Banner Poker Night from his city casa; bringing his whole team to the gastronomic film bonanza “Big Night” at La Scala in Little Italy; publishing a Banner newsletter where Tim Prudente brought down a major state officeholder for piling up corpses in a public garage; and a civic energizing effort to build a 100 person newsroom on the Inner Harbor (before the recent Harborplace facelift news). Imtiaz Patel launches The Baltimore Banner this summer, but the former Dow Jones media executive is already making catalytic impact for all things local in Baltimore.