These days, no CFO wants to get a call from a magazine looking to make him or her a star. Ask Andy Fastow or Scott Sullivan: It's not always good to be in the limelight. But if flush times promote the greedy, perhaps the tough times are what uncover the heroes. These CFOs have carved out exemplary careers based on being honest, forward-thinking and a little fiscally conservative. T&RM salutes their accomplishments as they face bumpy days ahead.

Jeff Misner, Continental Airlines Inc.

Jeff Misner is flying straight, if not necessarily high. The CFO of Continental Airlines Inc. is in an industry where his company's $27 million pre-tax loss for third quarter 2002 is actually good news. When you compare Continental's financial chagrin with the woes of its competitors, from United Airlines' Chapter 11 filing, to US Airways' current reorganization, to American Airlines' $741 million pre-tax loss for the same quarter, the Houston-based airline is seemingly healthy. "American Airlines is twice our size and, all things being equal, should have had double our losses," Misner says.