This is the third of four excerpts from Andrew Leckey's new book, The Morningstar Approach to Investing: Wiring Into the Mutual Fund Revolution, released by Warner Books this month. The book goes inside the hot young research firm that produces what has become the bible of mutual-fund investing. Today's excerpt profiles who Morningstar believes to be the greatest fund managers.

The big three of the mutual fund portfolio manager hierarchy are most assuredly Sir John Templeton, founder of the Templeton Funds, which opened Americans' eyes to world investing; Peter Lynch, star manager of the giant Fidelity Magellan Fund, which rode an eclectic style to great profit for its investors; and John Neff, who piloted the huge Vanguard Windsor Fund using a consistent value formula that emphasized the income attributes of stocks. All three of these men have retired from active management, but their exploits and their ideas permeate not only their own organizations but many other fund companies as well.

Others on Morningstar's all-time managers top 10 list, in alphabetical order, would be Shelby Davis of Davis New York Venture Fund; Jean-Marie Eveillard of SoGen International Fund; Ken Heebner of CGM Capital Developments Fund; Mark Mobius, manager of several Templeton funds; Michael Price of Mutual Series funds; Bill Sams of FPA Paramount Fund; and George Vanderheiden, manager of several Fidelity funds.