April 28

Thomas Pitt (1653–1726), nicknamed 'Diamond' Pitt, acquired vast wealth through trade with the East India Company and the famed Regent Diamond. As President of Madras, he oversaw trade expansion and fortifications in the early 18th century. Returning to England, Pitt became a Member of Parliament and invested his fortune in land and politics. His marriage alliances and descendants, including William Pitt the Elder, cemented his family's influence in British politics. Despite controversies over his commercial practices, Pitt's legacy endures through his contributions to colonial trade and governance.

Cornelius Harnett (1723–1781) was a leading Patriot in colonial North Carolina during the American Revolution. A successful merchant and large landowner, he used his influence to oppose British policies and organize local resistance. Harnett chaired the North Carolina Committee of Safety and represented his colony in the Continental Congress in 1777. He helped draft revolutionary ordinances and supported the establishment of independent state government. Although he briefly suffered illness in Europe, he returned home to continue his public service. Harnett died before witnessing American independence, but his efforts contributed significantly to the Patriot movement.

Born in 1787 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Samuel Cunard began his career in the timber and coal trades before turning to shipping. In 1840, he secured a British mail contract and launched the British and North American Royal Mail Steam-Packet Company, later known simply as Cunard Line. Cunard's fleet set new standards for safety, speed, and reliability, ushering in the golden age of steam-powered ocean travel. His business acumen and insistence on strict operating procedures earned his company an international reputation. Under his leadership, the Cunard Line maintained government mail contracts and fostered diplomatic ties across the Atlantic. Samuel Cunard retired in 1865, leaving behind a shipping empire that endured for centuries.

Richard Pratt was a leading entrepreneur who transformed a small Australian box factory into Visy Industries, a global packaging giant. Born in Poland in 1934 and raised as a Holocaust survivor, he emigrated to Australia with his family. Pratt pioneered recycling technologies and sustainable manufacturing practices. Under his leadership, Visy grew to become a Fortune Global 500 company with operations across several continents. He was also a noted philanthropist, supporting Jewish, arts, and educational causes. Pratt’s business acumen earned him numerous awards and recognition, and he remained actively involved in his company until his death in 2009.