OP, I suggest you get the consent of those you admire and wish to acknowledge in writing.
If I were the great philosopher "Mary Sunshine", and had many great self development products which have sold extremely well through the years, and someone "thanked me" for my influence on their site, (in which they are trying to promote and sell their products) I may feel that this person is just using my name because they know a google search of my name, *might* bring up their own name and website, thereby profiting off of my hard work and success.