White-hot, burning Ebbers WorldCom chief Bernard Ebbers catches the industry napping. The Bay that House built CEO David House brings Bay Networks back by dint of will. Lucent's guiding light Richard McGinn stays close to customers to keep on top. Eckhard makes it look easy Compaq CEO Eckhard Pfeiffer banks on his bold vision. The NW 200 Profiles: A look at five industry powerhouses Whose Zooming Whom? A list of mergers and acquisitions. What's in a name? A look at how the players got their names.

Each honest calling, each walk of life, has its own elite, its own aristocracy based on excellence of performance.

- James Bryant Conant, American educator and diplomat

Skimming the cream off the top of the Network World 200 will leave you with a ladle full of huge companies. But size alone does not equal greatness. Plenty of large companies are searching for focus and struggling to realign themselves.

WorldCom's Ebbers

Bay's House

Lucent's McGinn

Compaq's Pfieffer

We tracked down four industry leaders who are excelling, hoping for a glimpse into how they manage to succeed where others have failed. Most of them had to weather criticism and skepticism on the road to success. But succeed they have.