Well-said! I certainly would not overlook Weist; sorry about that one! But there are so many who moved the hobby forward through the years among the ranks of collectors, dealers, etc.
I tried to leave the pros aside, but what do you do about creators who got their start as major players in the fan/fanzine movement??? Roy Thomas? Wendy Pini, mother of cosplay?
Also, who are the dealers who are credited with coining the term GGA? I don't want to name the wrong person; not sure if my memory is attributing correctly.
And maybe Robert Bell and the buyers of his collection (understatement, I realize), Dolgoff and the Koch brothers?