The Power 25: our exclusive lineup of today's most influential aquatics professionals--leaders, executives, icons, athletes, and people on the move. Find out who they are, what they had to say and why they earned a spot on our Power 25.

B. CHRIS BREWSTER UNITED STATES LIFESAVING ASSOCIATION

B Chris Brewster (the "B" stands for Bartlett, an old family name, and "Chris" is short for Christmas, his mother's maiden name), arguably the most powerful lifeguard on the planet, actually started his career on the ski slopes. One winter he even divided his time between the mountains of Colorado and the beaches of California while earning a full-time lifeguarding job with the city of San Diego.

"It was wild," recalls Brewster. "One day I'd be shoveling sand off a boardwalk and the next day I'd be shoveling snow."

After that, Brewster became a full-time lifeguard, a job he stuck with for 22 years. Today, he's president of the United States Lifesaving Association and president of the International Life Saving Federation--just two of the more prominent of his many titles and responsibilities.

Impressive as his titles are, it's the work that he does--and the influence he holds--that really deserves recognition. For instance, he is one of two people in the world who are helping the World Health Organization determine what percentage of drownings are preventable--and what can be done to prevent them.

He's also appeared on major television shows and networks including "20/20," "Good Morning America," and CNN. He's been quoted in leading national newspapers such as The New York Times. But no matter where he goes, his message is the same: with proper training and organization, beach drownings can be prevented.

"You can't unring the bell when a drowning has occurred, but you can stop future deaths and injury through a variety of means that are well-known," he says. "By pooling resources of experts, you can develop new and improved methods of drowning prevention."