MacLaren (Mac) Thompson Cummings (born January 23, 1979) is an American entrepreneur and co-founder of Terakeet, a search engine optimization firm.

Mac Cummings
Born
MacLaren Cummings

(1979-01-23) January 23, 1979 (age 45)
NationalityAmerican
Alma materCornell University
OccupationCEO of Terakeet
Political partyDemocratic

Education

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Cummings was raised in Tully, New York. He attended Manlius Pebble Hill High School in DeWitt, NY.[1] 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.[2]

Career

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In 1998, Cummings launched Mindshark Software and Consulting from his Cornell University dorm room and served as CEO.[3] Cummings led Mindshark to several software agreements with clients such as Forbes and General Electric.[3]

Terakeet

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In 2001, Cummings co-founded Terakeet Corporation with business partner, Patrick Danial.[3] Terakeet was founded as voice-recognition software for call centers.[2] It received $600,000 from angel investors, but the company didn't turn a profit so it pivoted to search engine optimization in 2004.[3] As CEO of Terakeet, Cummings has led the company through its growth into an enterprise SEO company that impacts multiple aspects of the client's websites, including backlinks and content strategies. The company also helps brands manage their online identity.[4][5] By 2012 Cummings had expanded the Terakeet portfolio to include U.S. and international companies such as Coca-Cola, American Express and NBC Universal-Orlando.[3] Terakeet has also worked with companies such as Chobani, Uber, and Dollar Shave Club.[6]

In 2013, Cummings and Danial created Earned Visibility, Inc. and established Terakeet LLC as a subsidiary.[7] Also in 2013, Cummings and Danial invested in Credit Card Insider, a website that gives financial advice, and made the website part of Terakeet.[8] Under Cummings, Terakeet grew from 75 employees in 2013 to 175 employees in 2015, earning Terakeet recognition as one of the fastest-growing companies in America, according to Inc. Magazine.[9] In 2015, Cummings created a paid family leave policy for Terakeet after friends, family members and fellow employees experienced cancer diagnoses.[10] The company has over 400 employees and estimated revenue of $100M as of 2022.[11] Fortune Magazine named Terakeet one of the best places to work in 2017, 2020, 2021, and 2022.[12][13]

Cummings ranked first in New York and ninth in the US on Glassdoor's 2021 Top CEOs for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses list.[14][15] In 2022, Ernst & Young named Cummings the New York Entrepreneur of the Year.[16]

Politics

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Cummings has been active in local and national politics and has been consulted for fundraising strategies on the technology and web side of campaigns.[17] Cummings served as Director of Internet Finance for Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid from February to June 2008.[1] [18] Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe sought Cummings out to work on the campaign, first as a consultant, then as part of the campaign team after Cummings organized a fundraiser in Syracuse, McAuliffe’s home town. After the Clinton campaign suspended in 2008, Cummings and Terakeet were selected to advise the Obama digital team on its content, blogging, and SEO strategies.[2] After the successful election of Barack Obama in 2008, Terakeet again was solicited to provide technology consulting to the campaign and its technical team.[2] In 2013, Cummings advised then businessman and friend Terry McAuliffe on his run for Governor of Virginia.[citation needed] In 2016, Cummings and Terakeet were brought in during the last weeks of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, Hillary for America, to reach out to battleground states in a small role.[19][20] In 2021, Cummings and his wife, Rochelle, hosted President Bill Clinton at their home in Skaneateles, NY.[21][22]

References

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  1. ^ a b Weiner, Mark. "What the Clinton campaign learned from a CNY Web whiz". Syracuse.com. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d Hart Seely, The Post-Standard (2012-02-21). "Progress 2012: Terakeet Corp in downtown Syracuse has tripled its workforce in 3 years". syracuse. Retrieved 2022-09-22.
  3. ^ a b c d e Seely, Hart. "Progress 2012: Terakeet Corp in downtown Syracuse has tripled its workforce in 3 years". Syracuse.com. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  4. ^ "Terakeet Entrepreneur Company Profile". Entrepreneur. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  5. ^ Moriarty, Rick (2020-05-06). "3 Syracuse companies make Inc.'s best workplaces of 2020". syracuse. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  6. ^ Weiner, Mark (2016-11-05). "Why Hillary Clinton asked a Syracuse tech firm for help". syracuse. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  7. ^ "CNY Wins $500 Million In Upstate Revitalization Initiative". CenterState CEO. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  8. ^ Moriarty, Rick (2013-09-22). "Website for credit card information finds support from Syracuse Web whiz". syracuse. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  9. ^ Moriarty, Rick. "Fast-growing Internet marketing firm looking for new downtown Syracuse home". Syracuse.com. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  10. ^ Rosenberg, Joyce M. (2018-02-22). "How Small-Business Owners Deal With Employees Who Need to Take a 'Caregiver Leave'". Inc.com. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  11. ^ "Terakeet | 2022 Best Workplaces in Advertising and Marketing". Fortune. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  12. ^ "Terakeet | 2022 Best Workplaces in New York". Fortune. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  13. ^ "The 25 Best Workplaces in New York (Small and Medium Companies)". Fortune. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  14. ^ "Terakeet's Mac Cummings Named One of Nations Top CEO's For Small Companies". WSYR. 2021-07-14. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  15. ^ "Top CEOs at SMBs | Glassdoor". www.glassdoor.com. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  16. ^ "Terakeet's Mac Cummings Named an EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2022 New York Award Winner". CenterState CEO. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  17. ^ Weiner, Mark. "Behind the scenes, President Obama meets VIPs before Syracuse speech". Syracuse.com. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  18. ^ Peter, John. "SEO Agency Singapore". Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  19. ^ "PAGE BY PAGE REPORT DISPLAY FOR 201607319022081796 (Page 76053 of 79260)". docquery.fec.gov. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
  20. ^ "How a Syracuse tech company could help Hillary Clinton win battleground states". syracuse.com. Retrieved 2018-01-02.
  21. ^ "President Bill Clinton to attend Skaneateles fundraiser for Syracuse native running for Virginia governor". WSYR. 2021-08-30. Retrieved 2022-09-30.
  22. ^ "Tour a Thom Filicia–Designed Family Retreat on One of New York's Finger Lakes". Architectural Digest. 2021-08-23. Retrieved 2022-09-30.