Barbie’s plastic playboy isn’t the only Ken that’s been successful in the business world (man I hated that reference to being called a Ken doll when I was growing up). In fact, one thing that many of the major players in Fortune 500 companies have in common is the name “Ken.” These 15 Kens have made it to the top of their respective games, leaving their plastic friend in the dust.

1. Kenneth I. Chenault – This man is on the top of the list because he was named 2012’s businessperson of the year. Chenault is the CEO and Chairman of American Express, which is ranked as number 95 on the Fortune 500 list for 2012. He has been the CEO and Chairman since 2001, and has pulled the major credit card company through a difficult economic time. Another boasting point for Chenault is that he was the first African American to be named CEO of a Fortune 500 firm.
2. Kenneth C. Frazier – This Ken is the CEO of Merck & Co., a pharmaceutical company, which was ranked number 57 out of 500 in 2012. Both he and Chenault attended Harvard University. Along with being a CEO, Frazier is also a lawyer. He was hired at Merck in 1992 and became CEO in 2011. Merck & Co. is one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in the world.
3. Ken C. Hicks – Hicks is the CEO of Foot Locker. They are ranked at 435 in 2012 for the Fortune 500 list. Aside from his current position at Foot Locker, he was also the President for JCPenney and Payless Shoe Source, Inc. He also held a position as Vice President of the Home Shopping Network at one point.
4. Kenneth T. Lamneck – As CEO of Insight Enterprises, Lamneck has proven his ability to keep a business strong. The use of technology is widespread and becoming an everyday necessity for people around the world, and Insight Enterprises is a leader in those technological advances.
5. Kenneth S. Adams, Jr. – Also known as “Bud” Adams, this Ken is known best for owning the Tennessee Titans’ National Football League franchise. But that’s not what makes him a leader on the Fortune 500 list. For that level of prestige, he founded and is now the Chairman of the Board for Adams Resources & Energy, Inc.
6. Kenneth C. Dahlberg – In 2008, Dahlberg was the Chairman, CEO and President of SAIC, which is the Science Applications International Corporation. He retired in June of 2010, but not before making his mark as a business leader during his tenure at SAIC.
7. Kenneth D. Lewis – The Bank of America CEO was ranked at the 9^th slot for the Fortune 500 list in 2008. For eight years, until 2009, Lewis served Bank of America as CEO. During his time as CEO, he improved service throughout the southern portion of the country.
8. Kendall J. Powell – The leader of one of the largest food companies in the world, Powell was ranked at 214 on the Fortune 500 list in 2008 as the CEO of General Mills. He worked his way up in the ranks starting in 1979.
9. Kenneth T. Derr – Derr served as CEO of Chevron in the late 1990s. Chevron is an international oil company and a major player in the fuel industry. He was on the Fortune 500 list in 1997.
10. Kenneth L. Lay – This Ken was very well known as the CEO of Enron. In 2000, Enron was ranked #7 on the Fortune 500 list. He resigned as CEO at the beginning of 2002. However, during his time at Enron, he was accused of fraud and insider trading in a widely-publicized scandal.
11. Ken J. Warren – While he is not technically a Fortune 500 leader himself, as an attorney he has represented several Fortune 500 companies. His experiences with the renowned companies that have made it to the list certainly put him in the running to be considered a Fortune 500 leader.
12. Kenneth J. Kay – Kenneth Kay is the vice president and chief financial officer for Las Vegas Sands Corp. His leadership skills have led him to the career boon of managing all financial aspects of the lucrative company.
13. Kenneth A. Kaufman – While he was not the CEO of a Fortune 500 firm, he was the top producing manager for Aribex, Inc. and has CEO experience, along with several other titles that point toward a proven leadership ability.
14. Kenneth Cole – Kenneth Cole brought his clothing design company to the top of the charts. He was known for his marketing skills for a clothing and shoe store that eventually branched out to include top-selling fragrances for both men and women.
15. Ken Ballou – Ballou was a co-founder of NewEnding, which rose to Fortune 500 status. Ballou also worked for another Fortune 500 company as a vice president in various departments of the iDatix software company