Andy Stern is intent on "forging new organizing models and public policies to reward work fairly," says Fortune. Dubbing him "a different kind of labor chief," The New York Times Magazine described Stern as a man who "intends to create a new, more dynamic" labor movement.

In the past decade under Stern's leadership, nearly 1 million members have united their strength in SEIU, the largest and fastest-growing union in North America. He is the author of the forthcoming book, A Country That Works (Free Press), which offers a diagnosis of our ailing systems -- and a compelling prescription for the vital political and economic reform America needs to get back on track.

After launching a national debate about the fundamental change needed to reverse labor's decline, Stern led SEIU out of the AFL-CIO to focus on uniting the nine out of 10 American workers not yet in a union, and was the driving force behind Change to Win, a new labor federation of seven major unions representing six million members.

An aggressive advocate for a health care system that helps U.S. companies compete worldwide while providing quality, affordable coverage to every American, Stern has invited the Fortune 500 and other business leaders to partner with SEIU in the political arena to establish a more efficient, cost-effective model to replace our broken, employer-based system. SEIU's Americans for Health Care project, a grassroots network of caregivers, business owners and consumers, is also working to make health care a top priority in key states across the country.

Determined to build a truly 21st century union to help ensure that workers, not just CEOs, benefit from today's global economy, Stern has initiated partnerships with overseas unions as well as multinationals to form effective, win-win alliances. He chairs Wal-Mart Watch, the advocacy group responsible for challenging the retail giant to become a leader in corporate responsibility toward its employees and host communities.

Stern began his union career in 1973 as a Pennsylvania social service worker and member of SEIU Local 668 and rose through the ranks before his election as president in 1996. He serves on the board of directors for diverse organizations, including the Institute of Medicine, Rock the Vote, and the Broad Foundation. A frequent blogger, he weighs in on economic and political issues on SEIU.org and as a regular contributor to online outlets such as the Huffington Post.