While I was gone, I was tagged by a number of the chain Quizes that have been going around the SQL Server Community, so I am working to answer each of them as I get around to it. Aaron Alton tagged me for this one, and it is actually one that I already answered for the most part in a previous blog posting:
SQL Quiz: The most influential people in your Technical Success?
If you are interested in who influenced me along the way, you can read about it there.