Craig Newmark (Craigslist) – # 50 Fun Facts

Craig Newmark Facts – Biography

Craig Newmark Date of Birth and Early Life

1. Craig Newmark Date of Birth

Craig Newmark, known for laying the foundation of the international Craigslist website, is born on 6 December 1952 in Morristown New Jersey.

He is the son of Joyce and Lee Newmark, a Jewish family who sends Newmark to religious Jewish schools.

This means he has a bar Mitzvah in his childhood.

However, today he calls himself a secular, non-practicing Jew and jokingly calls ‘Leonard Cohen’ his rabbi.

2. Childhood

Childhood times are particularly hard for his family, especially as far as the finances are concerned.

Newmark’s father who works as an insurance salesman passes away after battling lung cancer when Newmark is twelve years old after which his mother, Craig and his brother Jeff move into an apartment because of financial struggles.

Craig Newmark Education

3. Studies

While studying at Morristown High School, Craig Newmark is an active member of the forensics club as well as the co-captain of the debate club.

He also takes the initiative of forming a special club that meets regularly to play the game Go.

4. Graduation

Newmark proves his worth in 1971 when he successfully graduates from Morristown High School.

Furthermore, he wins a number of scholarships with the help of which he is able to enroll in Case Western Reserve University.

He graduates from there with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1975 and two years later, he receives a Master of Science degree from the same place.

5. Master’s Thesis

The Master’s thesis of Newmark is entitled “Fundamental Models of Computer Systems and Their Relationship to Information Security.”

Beginning of Craigslist

6. Idea of Craigslist

The idea of Craigslist does not come immediately to Newmark who starts working at IBM after graduating.

He continues working there for 17 years and in the role of a programmer, he is constantly on the move firstly from New Jersey to Boca Raton in Florida and then from there to Detroit.

7. Jobs

Newmark also has a lot of experience working for other firms including Bank of America and Charles Schwab.

It is with the latter in San Francisco when Newmark first encounters the internet that is commercially free in 1993.

Two years later in 1995, he develops the idea of Craigslist in his apartment.

8. Idea of Website

Craig Newmark gets the idea for the website after observing how people help each other out on the Internet using MindVox, Usenet and WELL.

He decides to develop a similar forum for all the people of San Francisco.

Creation of Craigslist, founded by Craig Newmark

9. Craigslist- A Free Marketplace

For Newmark, Craigslist is a free marketplace, which means that all sorts of people living in the city of San Francisco can come together, and exchange information about the city including events.

Initially the idea of the website begins as a list of email distribution including friends and acquaintances.

10. Increase in Subscribers of Craigslist

Word of mouth helps Newmark increase the number of subscribers to the list who start interacting with each other for non-event related issues like searching for jobs and apartments.

In 1996, Craigslist officially expands itself into other categories and became a web-based service.

In 2000, the demand for Craigslist grows and it expands into other US cities.

Today, more than 50 countries can use Craigslist for information sharing purposes.

11. Name of Craigslist

On the name of the company, Craigslist, Newmark says he wants to name it San Francisco events as that is what the website mainly listed back in 1995, but when his friends insist that he name it Craigslist since it was what they are calling it, he consents the idea.

12. Growth of Craigslist

Craig Newmark says that when the website grew in popularity, he decides he will not be able to manage the traffic on his own so he starts hiring people to work voluntarily but when that does not work either, he officially turns Craigslist into a company and hires Buckmaster as the CEO.

Although, Craigslist keeps its financial swept under the rug because it is a privately held company and never discloses financial information for legal reasons, it is rumored that eBay bought the 25% shares from Craigslist for $12 million.

Present Role in Craigslist

13. Part of Craigslist

Newmark is still an active part of Craigslist and deals with scammers and spammers.

He believes that his website helps many people over the world find what they were looking for and more.

Newmark can tell of the number of marriages and at least five kidney donations that take place over Craigslist.

14. Acknowledges Buckmaster

Although Craig Newmark still owns the company with 25% shares owned by eBay, the University of Michigan graduate, Jim Buckmaster has been the CEO since 2000.

Buckmaster is unemployed when he posts his resume on craigslist and Newmark hires him.

The latter acknowledges Buckmaster’s efforts in the company’s success.

The website now lists 20 million jobs every month.

15. 5 Billion Page Views

In 2000, Craigslist has over 5 billion page views every month which is five times more than five years ago when Craig Newmark started the company.

Today the company has over 50 billion page views every month with over 60 million users from America alone and from 35 countries and 300 cities of America, there are 100 million ads posted every month.

16. Business Policies

Talking about his company, Craigslist’s success, Craig Newmark says his business policies are the same when he created the company that is to serve the people and bring them benefits along with ease.

He says our policies are not built “MBA style”.

The company has a $1 billion worth today.

Craig Newmark: Social Work

17. Charity

In 2006, Craig Newmark proves himself an unbiased and vocal advocate for the freedom of the internet.

He also donates the sum of $10,000 to newassignment.net, which is a non-profit that produces and published investigative stories on the internet by bringing together the works of professionals and amateurs.

18. Internet Protest

Starting in 2012, January 18th is known as the Internet Freedom Day when the history’s largest protest breaks out on the internet to prevent internet censorship billings or SOPA.

Craig Newmark writes in a blog post that the Internet Freedom Day “reminds us that we all need to work together”.

He says it is the way everyone will recognize “their individual voice.”

19. Craigslist and Charity

Craig Newmark believes he runs his website like a charity just as Jimmy Wales.

Craigslist donates 1% of their earnings to the veterans of the United States.

Like a true Sagittarius, Craig Newmark feels complete giving back to the society and believing the good the world has to offer.

Accolades: Craig Newmark

20. Top 25 Most Influential People

In 2008, Craig Newmark’s name is seen on Time Magazine’s Top 25 Most Influential People on the Web list for his influential work with Craigslist.

21. Net Worth

In 2010, Forbes magazine features Craig Newmark estimates his net worth to be $400 million and adds him to their list of Billionaires in the Making.

22. Judges Award Show

Craig Newmark is on the judge’s panel for the internet-based Shorty Awards since 2011 for respectable work on the internet.

Shorty Awards are an annual award event that starts in 2010 and honor the best people in 26 categories in the social media.

23. Hall of Fame

Craig Newmark has the honor and prestige of being part of the Hall of Fame where the Internet Society introduces him in 2012.

In addition to this, he joins Matt Mullenweg in becoming an honorary patron of Trinity College Dublin’s University Philosophical Society in 2009.

CraigConnects

24. Launches CraigConnects

Newmark launches craigconnects in March 2011, as a platform where social media can be used to inform others of beneficial efforts and encourage such behavior.

This initiative is a testament to Newmark’s constant support of nonprofit organizations, which makes use of the internet for solving social issues, successfully achieving innovation projects and attempting to raise funding for education.

Craigconnects is also a way for Newmark to increase global connectivity using better technology and media integrity.

25. Vision for CraigConnects

With Craigconnects, Craig Newmark says he aims to support companies that help veterans and military families, as well as the homeless people of San Franscisco.

In twenty years, he believes, he will have helped many have their voices heard.

Other Work by Craig Newmark

26. Problems

In 2012, Craigslist sues the apartment-listing site PadMapper and the data shop 3Taps for copyright and trademark violations and infractions.

Despite claims by the founders of the companies that they only draw public information and not violate Craigslist laws, they are forced to remove data off their websites, which is criticized by the media as Newmark’s company’s inability to move forward and adapt.

27. Business Issues

In 2008, after a Craigslist employee sells 25% shares to eBay, the company later sues eBay for trying to change the company through its e-commerce influences.

Although, the actual lawsuit claims that eBay was interfering with the business along with trademark infringement and free riding, many journalists claim it was just a way to get Craigslist shares back from eBay.

28. Board Member of Wikimedia Advisory Board

In 2009, Craig Newmark becomes a member of the Wikimedia Advisory Board; he is also a member of the New America Foundation Leadership Council as well as the advisory board of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

29. Center for Public Integrity and Sunlight Foundation

Newmark also serves on the Board of Directors of Center for Public Integrity as well as the Sunlight Foundation.

Craig Newmark continues to support his website by forming and establishing important relationships with nonprofit organizations and foundations.

Newmark provides financial or personal support to dozens of such organizations and serves on the advisory board of eleven of them.

He is also on the Board of Directors of three.

Criticism

30. 3Taps Sues Craigslist

3Taps later sues Craigslist for claiming monopolistic views when 3Taps starts providing access to Craigslist’s data about classified ads.

It is reported by the Times that the lawsuit filed in San Francisco by 3Taps claimed that Craigslist’s “dominance over classified listing[s] is stifling innovation and hurting consumers”.

31. Business Issues

3Taps founder and CEO, Greg Kidd, goes as far as saying that Craigslist bullies its competition and refuses to move towards innovation.

Media now calls it Craig Newmark’s shift from hero to a quick villain who does not promote innovation despite his claims of public service through the internet.

32. More Issues

Craig Newmark essentially takes classified ads from your regular newspaper and moves it to the internet.

This shift in the market access has had many journalists and newspapers criticize Newmark often.

They claim he takes away a massive part of newspaper’s financial health.

Craig Newmark Work Ethic

33. Interview

In an interview with Leslie Horns, Craig Newmark explains how San Francisco is the first to catch up on adopting the internet back in 1995.

He thinks this was one of the reasons why his idea for Craigslist worked in the city.

Currently, Newmark only works on certain customer service issues for the company.

34. Craigslist Affairs

Craigslist has a limited number of employees that work together on Newmark’s basic principle, he says, “We believe that we should treat people like we want to be treated, and that applies to employees as well as customers.”

The company currently has between 25 to 30 employees compared to Google’s 10,000 employees.

35. Technology

Recently at a Symposium in Manhattan, Newmark has declared that the solution to America’s lack of trustworthiness in the Newspaper is to establish a fact checking system.

He encourages an idea of “superior ethical code” that will self-regulate the industry.

Forbes Magazine writer, Jeff Bercovici criticized Newmark saying the problem is deeper than Newmark realizes that there is no sound way to establishing ground truth when publishing stories.

36. Work Interests

In an interview with CMS Wire, Craig Newmark says he likes to work in the customer service section because he likes to communicate with the consumer and then built ideas using the bottom up approach.

His motto is popular on his website, which says, “Treat people the way you would want to be treated.”

Craig Newmark Personal Life

37. Marriage

In December 2012, Craig Newmark marries Eileen Whelpley in New Jersey.

Newmark dates Whelpley for about a year after meeting each her on Cole Street.

Currently, the couple resides in the Cole Valley in San Francisco.

38. Personal Life

Craig Newmark says that being a nerd, he takes every word literally, if he says that he works all seven days of the week then he literally does.

Every day of the week, he spends at least four hours at the Craigslist customer service and then spends the rest of his time volunteering for public service.

Craig Newmark & Politics

39. Affiliations

Craig Newmark also makes a statement by making strong political affiliations.

He donates quite a large sum of money to the presidential campaign of Democratic Senator John Kerry.

He also shows his support for Republican John McCain during the time he is running for the office.

40. Civic Duty

In March 2013, Craig Newmark posts a blog post for the Huffington Post encouraging Americans to vote.

He gives his seven convincing reasons and appreciates organizations that are constantly working to get Americans to vote.

He believes it “strengthens our community” and it’s every American’s “civic duty”.

41. Public Service

Craig Newmark believes in public service through the internet and regularly works with government workers and according to the Huffington Post, he also works with the Sunlight foundation for “government accountability and transparency”.

Personal Interests of Craig Newmark

42. Internet Usage

As the creator of Craigslist, Newmark is extremely easy to reach; he operates a Twitter and Facebook account.

In addition to contributing regularly to The Huffington Post, Newmark is also a regular blogger.

43. Technological Gadgets

Craig Newmark believes in technology to keep himself organized at work.

It is reported in 2013, that he carries around a Samsung Galaxy Note II that allows him to manage his works.

The Craigslist founder is addicted to the device and uses it 80% of the time.

44. Nature Lover

Among other interests, Craig Newmark also enjoys bird watching and squirrel watching.

He still resides in San Francisco where he develops the company Craigslist from the ground up.

Craig Newmark, however, has no kids but has been living with his wife Eileen since December of 2012.

45. Charity

Craig Newmark is also a supporter of the Department of Health and Human Services and says they are “doing a good job” and that he tries his best to get the word out to the people.

Opinions

46. Craigslist- His Legacy

In answer to aquestion to a reporter who asks Craig Newmark what he intends to leave as a legacy with Craigslist, Newmark replies saying that perhaps the legacy of the company is in the fact that it allows “tens of millions [of people] help eachother.”

47. On Coding

Many self-made entrepreneurs like Mark Zuckerberg are promoting coding in younger students starting as early as the sixth graders emphasizing the importance of coding.

Craig Newmark, however, despite calling himself a geek, thinks that coding is not essential but he believes it gives you the power to communicate better, occasionally.

48. Interview

In an interview with Leslie Horns, Craig Newmark explains how San Francisco is the first to catch up on adopting the internet back in 1995.

He thinks this was one of the reasons why his idea for Craigslist worked in the city.

Currently, Newmark only works on certain customer service issues for the company.

Inspirational

49. His Inspiration

From the technology world, Craig Newmark says that the American Computer Scientist Vint Cerf and the Finnish American software engineer and hacker Linus Torvalds are his greatest inspirations.

50. Trust

Craigslist is built on complete trust on consumers so Newmark says it teaches him to believe in humanity.

Even though, he says in an interview, there are many harmful people in the world, but he learns that there are more positives to everyone than negatives.