The retired head of the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Lichtenstein is the man responsible for turning BAM into one of New York's premier arts institutions.

Brooklyn native Lichtenstein started out as a dancer in the 1950s and later worked as a subscriptions manager for the New York City Ballet and the New York City Opera. When he was hired to head up the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 1967, the venerable institution was in peril. Founded in 1908, BAM was hosting very few performances, and there was even talk of converting the site into tennis courts. Lichtenstein oversaw a spectacular revitalization over the next 32 years, renovating everything from the building itself to the range of performances, and fashioning BAM into a must attend venue for culture-seeking New Yorkers. The Next Wave festival, which Lichtenstein introduced in 1983, continues to provide exposure for cutting-edge artists from around the world who might otherwise have struggled to be showcased at a major venue; beneficiaries over the years have included Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Robert Wilson, Merce Cunningham, Bill T. Jones, Twyla Tharp and Mark Morris.

In 1999, Lichtenstein stepped down, but he remains a towering figure in the arts community. Lichtenstein didn't slow down much after giving up the top job at BAM. He's been a driving force behind plans to revive Fort Greene as the president of BAM Local Development Corporation. John Rockwell of the New York Times once described Lichtenstein as "the most innovative and influential performing arts administrator New York has known.", Following his departure, BAM named its Majestic Theater in Lichtenstein's honor in 1999. It's now the BAM Harvey Lichtenstein Theater. He also received a National Medal for the Arts from President Bill Clinton. [Image via Getty]