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William J. Degel, 37
Chief executive
Uncle Jack’s Steakhouse
Uncle Jack’s Steakhouse opened last year on Ninth Avenue, just a couple of blocks away from the post office where William Degel’s father, a longshoreman, worked a second job.
On his commute to his new eatery, Mr. Degel often walks past the post office and thinks of his late father, who encouraged him to take risks in life.
He has done just that. While working as a bartender nearly 20 years ago, Mr. Degel spotted a shuttered biker bar in his native Flushing, Queens. He and his brother decided to open an upscale lounge in the space.
Since then, he’s built a $12 million business with three Uncle Jack’s locations—including an outpost at Shea Stadium—and a steak sauce line sold in 3,000 area supermarkets. Sports stars and politicos, such as former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, are seen frequently at Uncle Jack’s.
His most loyal customer, Constantino Sagonas, dines at his restaurants four nights a week. “From day one, Willie had a distinct vision and set his restaurant apart from other steakhouses by paying attention to details,” says Mr. Sagonas, who works in city government.
Mr. Degel describes himself as an “obsessive perfectionist” who gets involved in every aspect of his restaurants, including designing them. His aesthetic sense has led to a side business building luxury homes in the Hamptons.
His biggest asset is his unshakeable confidence in himself. Though he has no immediate plans to take his company public, he says, “When I see the Nasdaq commercial with an executive ringing the bell, I see me.”