23 who laughed at the recession

CEO since 2005: James Dimon

The financial crisis transformed almost every Master of the Universe into a villain - except for JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, who actually looked a bit heroic when he agreed to buy Bear Stearns.

Last year, the company generated profits of $11.7 billion, a 109% jump, on revenues of $115.6 billion, a 14% increase. But if Citigroup and Merrill Lynch continue to rebound, look for JPMorgan to give back some of its recent gains.

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