Mac Cummings

MacLaren (Mac) Thompson Cummings (b. 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, approximately 30 miles outside Syracuse. 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 resides in Syracuse. [ [http://www.terakeet.net/team/] ]

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.With Cummings intent on creating better software-based speech applications, he co-founded Terakeet Corporation in 2000. Cummings immediately created new technologies for speech recognition platforms and other speech applications. In conjunction with his work with Terakeet, Cummings also became co-owner and investor in USA 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 of 2008, the draft beer flow-meter technology was installed in Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. [ [http://www.htmagazine.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=MultiPublishing&mod=PublishingTitles&mid=3E19674330734FF1BBDA3D67B50C82F1&tier=4&id=09ABF09AB2BC4BA48AAB1CD909B078F4] ] As a pioneer of the speech industry, Cummings is a founding member of the VoiceXML speech forum and on multiple occasions, has been the featured speaker at industry academic conferences. [ [http://epe.cornell.edu/advisors/cummings.htm] ] Cummings is said to be one of the leading advocates of merging the science of speech with technology, but not to the extent that it replaces the experience of human interaction. Much of his 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. [ [http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2005/11/06/sick_of_automation_dial_0_for_human/] ] With extensive experience in speech and web-based technologies, Cummings has served as expert-witness to legal firms engaged in cyber-technology suits.Cummings is a founding shareholder in five businesses, including Israel-based TCM Mobile, the company which developed the technology for the first Wi-Fi mobile devices. In 2004 Cummings co-founded CD Technology Partners, a firm rooted in early stage technologies and ideas. [ [http://www.allbusiness.com/technology/computer-software/4093833-1.html] ]

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 of 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. [ [http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/04/clinton-campaig.html] ]

Known for frequent socializing in and around the Washington D.C. beltway, Cummings has has been written up in various gossip blogs including The Politico's "Shenanigans". Cummings is often spotted at The Palm, Cafe Milano, and other D.C. staples with high-profile politicians and political operatives such as Terry McAuliffe, President Bill and Hillary Clinton, and John Kerry.

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 9th, 2008 after organizing a $215,000 fundraiser in Syracuse, McAuliffe’s home town. After intially working as a satellite consultant, Cummings joined the Hillary Clinton campaign in Arlington, Virginia as an unpaid volunteer in February, directly following the NY Senator’s tepid showing in the Super Tuesday Democratic Primaries. His arrival closely coincided with Clinton’s admission that she had been forced make a $5 million loan from herself to the campaign.Cummings challenged immediately the web fundraising practices of the campaign and realigned resources to tap smaller and new donors. Previously, the campaign had relied heavily upon the contributions of donors who had already given the maximum $2,300 allowable under federal election law. Under this strategy, the Clinton campaign lagged heavily behind her opponent, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, who had been relying on more grass-roots and small-donor fundraising strategies.The fundraising tides began to turn 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. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/29/us/politics/29donate.html?scp=8&sq=Hillary%20Clinton%20fundraising%20february%202008&st=cse] ] Political bloggers were frequently critical of Cummings during the campaign, alleging that he had effectively turned the Internet into an ATM for campaign finance. [ [http://www.personaldemocracy.com/blog/entry/1874/daily_digest_the_obama_money_bomb_bombs] ]

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. [ [http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2008/04/what_the_clinton_campaign_lear.html] ]

Presumably rooted in Cummings success in advisement of his Democratic primary opponent, he was sought for consultation by Obama for America (Barack Obama) in August of 2008. He and his firm Terakeet Corporation list Obama for America as one of their many marquee clients.

Community Involvement

Cummings is the youngest ever to serve on the esteemed Cornell Entrepreneurship Board. Cummings is also the youngest ever to serve on the Manlius Pebble Hill Alumni Board.

References [http://www.terakeet.net/team/] [http://www.htmagazine.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=MultiPublishing&mod=PublishingTitles&mid=3E19674330734FF1BBDA3D67B50C82F1&tier=4&id=09ABF09AB2BC4BA48AAB1CD909B078F4] [http://epe.cornell.edu/advisors/cummings.htm] [http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2005/11/06/sick_of_automation_dial_0_for_human/] [http://www.allbusiness.com/technology/computer-software/4093833-1.html] [http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/04/clinton-campaig.html] [http://www.politico.com/blogs/anneschroeder/0508/Terry_McAuliffe_a_guy_named_Mac_Cummings_the_Palm_and_porn.html] [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/29/us/politics/29donate.html?scp=8&sq=Hillary%20Clinton%20fundraising%20february%202008&st=cse] [http://www.personaldemocracy.com/blog/entry/1874/daily_digest_the_obama_money_bomb_bombs] [http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2008/04/what_the_clinton_campaign_lear.html]