As her obsession grew, Ms. Wong left her job as a general counsel of Merrill's international private client group and set up her own business consulting operation.

WSJ: Tama Matsuoka Wong, a Gourmet Harvester in the Wilds of New Jersey | Creating

Darryl Lewis' options odyssey began in 1998, when, he says, he was approached by a Merrill (nyse: MER - news - people )broker, Jeanine Luteijn , who introduced herself as a member of Merrill's Private Client Group and dropped the name of a Microsoft colleague.

FORBES: Out of Options

Private Client Services net earnings declined 6%, while Corporate and Institutional Client Group plummeted 49%.

FORBES: Be Bullish On Merrill