They weren't "high-rank targets". At least, many were not. They included a university president and an airline president, several college professors, but also

They weren't "high-rank targets". At least, many were not. They included a university president and an airline president, several college professors, but also grad students and owners of small computer stores. And the president of the California Forestry Association, who was probably an important person among foresters, but not so much in wider society.