Mac Cummings

MacLaren (Mac) Thompson Cummings (born January 23, 1979) is an American entrepreneur and Democratic political fundraiser. Cummings served as the Director of Internet Finance during Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid of 2008.

Education

Cummings was raised in Tully, New York. He attended Manlius Pebble Hill High School in DeWitt, NY. After graduating from high school, Cummings attended Cornell University, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree from the School of Industrial and Labor Relations in 2001. Today, Cummings lives in Syracuse.^[1]

Professional life

Cummings launched Mindshark Software and Consulting from his Cornell University dorm room in 1998 and served as CEO, guiding the company to profitability in its first year. Cummings led Mindshark to several notable software agreements with high-profile clients such as Forbes, Siebert Financial, and General Electric.

Cummings co-founded Terakeet Corporation in 2000, and also became co-owner and investor in US Beverage Net, which develops technologies to monitor beverage consumption in restaurants and bars across the United States. Since the company's inception, the draft technology has been installed in national chains such as Hooters, Uno Chicago Grill,and Buffalo Wild Wings. In July 2008, the draft beer flow-meter technology was installed in Cask 'n Flagon, a landmark location for diehard Boston Red Sox fans.^[2]

Much of Cummings's interest in the industry is based on the efforts to streamline the customer service experience as much as possible, not only for large call centers, but medium-sized businesses who seek the efficiency of automation.^[3]

Cummings is a founding shareholder in five businesses. In 2004 Cummings co-founded CD Technology Partners, a firm rooted in early stage technologies and ideas.[5].^[4]

Politics

Cummings is active in local and national politics and has often been consulted for fundraising strategies on the technology and web side of campaigns. Most recently, Cummings served as Director of Internet Finance for Hillary Clinton’s historic presidential bid from February to June 2008. As an integral cog to Clinton’s fundraising resurgence in the winter of 2008, Cummings is credited with being part of the largest single day of online fundraising ($10 million in 24 hours) in American presidential campaign history.^[5]

Director of Internet Finance (Hillary Clinton Presidential Bid 2008)

Cummings was first sought out by the Hillary Clinton campaign by campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe on July 9, 2008 after organizing a $215,000 fundraiser in Syracuse, McAuliffe’s home town. After initially working as a satellite consultant, Cummings joined the Hillary Clinton campaign in Arlington, Virginia, as an unpaid volunteer in February.

Clinton's fundraising, which had lagged behind Barack Obama's, began to improve soon after Cummings joined the campaign in February. Clinton’s online fundraising began to account for nearly 75% of her monthly totals, mainly in small contributions. In February, the campaign raised $30 million of its $35 million monthly total online, the single largest fundraising month for the campaign. Contributions averaged $100 during this period, and nearly 25% of all contributions were from new donors.^[6] Political bloggers were frequently critical of Cummings during the campaign, alleging that he had effectively turned the Internet into an ATM for campaign finance.^[7]

Cummings is said to have financed his participation in the campaign himself and received no compensation from the campaign after it was suspended in June.^[8]

References