the best of my area?

I really don't think that person exist, but if I have to choose one, I'm going to talk about Beck.
I think Beck is important, because he developed the cognitive therapy in 1960.

Beck's Cognitive therapy is effective helping the client to change theirs dysfunctional schemes into the "normal" way. This therapy help to produce a cognitive change.

In cognitive therapy, both the terapist and the patients are important to recognize this schemes. For the same reason, the terapist must tell to the patients the case conceptualization, because it can help to the information's collection. The terapist must use the information to deduce the patient's autoconcept. He must does a fast evaluation about the validity of the patient's image. Later, is necessary to establish goals to the patients.

For this therapy is important to create a relation with the patient, establishing cooperation and trust in the patient.

well, I like this therapy, and for that reason I think Beck is important in psychology.