WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

head up
    v 1: be the first or leading member of (a group) and excel;
         "This student heads the class" [syn: head, head up]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

66 Moby Thesaurus words for "head up":
   antecede, be in front, be responsible for, be the front-runner,
   break ground, break the ice, call the signals, captain, caption,
   carry on, come before, come first, command, conduct, control,
   create, direct, engineer, forge ahead, front, go ahead of,
   go before, go in advance, govern, handle, have priority, head,
   head the table, headline, initiate, invent, kick off, lead,
   lead off, lead on, lead the way, make the rules, manage, maneuver,
   manipulate, mastermind, officer, order, originate, outrank,
   pioneer, precede, prescribe, pull the strings, quarterback, rank,
   rate, regulate, run, skipper, stand first, stand in front, subhead,
   subtitle, take command, take precedence, take the initiative,
   take the lead, take the plunge, title, usher in