I have been around WhiteBlaze.net for a few months and do not know much about the history and the influence of different members on this website yet in my short time I have found that some posters/members have more juice and their comments are more educated and hence they are more respected than others.
I personally have some posters/members in my mind but I have not been around long enough to dare to name them as the starter of this thread. It is up to you to choose among them and list your candidate here. It is somehow a way to appreciate their dedication and let them know that they have been influential in a good way to make this website better everyday.
Hopefully they are all alive but there might be some posters that are not among us and have a place in your list.
By the way, the title of this thread came to my mind after reading the thread about the most influential backpackers of all time which is an active thread right now.
Yours
Kookork