totem pole, high man on the

number one, second to none, front-runner, star, the favorite, person on top, high-ranking individual, someone with seniority, winner, top scorer, cream of the crop, influential person, big shot/boss/wheel/cheese, hotshot, bigwig, someone at the top of the ladder/heap/tree. The phrase is ethnocentric as well as sexist. See also lord it over someone.