Sam Yagan
Sam Yagan | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 10, 1977 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Harvard University Stanford University |
| Occupation(s) | Co-founder of OkCupid Co-founder of SparkNotes CEO of Match.com |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Spouse | Jessica Droste Yagan (present) |
| Parent(s) | Al Yagan Dr. Haifa Yagan. |
Sam Yagan is an American Internet entrepreneur best known as the co-founder of OkCupid.[1] In 2013, he was named to TIME Magazine’s ‘100 Most Influential People in the World’ list.[2] He is currently the CEO of the world’s largest e-dating site, Match.com.[3]
Early life and education
The son of Syrian immigrants, Al and Dr. Haifa Yagan,[4] [5] Sam was instilled with an entrepreneur trait at a young age. Growing up in Bourbonnais, Illinois Yagan’s academic prowess led him to the prestigious Illinois Math and Science Academy and eventually Harvard University. Yagan holds a Bachelors Degree in Applied Mathematics and Economic from Harvard University and an MBA from Stanford University.[6]
Career
SparkNotes
In 1999 during his senior year at Harvard, Yagan and two of his classmates, Chris Coyne and Max Krohn, started the online study guide SparkNotes.[7] Christian Rudder joined shortly after the founding. A year later they sold the company to Barnes and Nobles for $30 million.[8]
eDonkey, Inc.
By age 25 Yagan was the president of eDonkey (founded in 2002), a P2P file-sharing network. As the developer of eDonkey, Yagan testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee expressing a need for balance between innovation and intellectual property.[9]
OkCupid
In 2003 Yagan again teamed up with his Harvard classmates, Chris Coyne and Max Krohn and founded OkCupid.
Excelerate Labs
In 2009 Yagan and Troy Henikoff founded Excelerate Labs, a 13-week start-up accelerator.[10]
IAC
In 2011 Yagan sold his dating website to IAC and in 2012 Yagan became the CEO of Match.com (a subsidiary of IAC[11] ).
Honors and Recognition
Time 100
In April 2013 Yagan was he was as one of TIME Magazine’s ‘100 Most Influential People in the World’.[12]
Crain’s “40 Under 40”
In 2011 Yagan was named to Crain’s 40 under 40” in Chicago.[13]
Personal life
Sam Yagan is married to his high school sweetheart, Jessica Droste Yagan.
Controversy
Sam Yagan the Co-founder of OkCupid was instrumental in the resignation of Brandon Eich the CEO of Mozilla. He changed the landing page of those who accessed OKCupid via Mozilla’s Firefox web browser so they would get a message that called Eich an opponent of equal rights and urged users to switch to a different browser in order to boycott the software company. Soon after Eich stepped down as CEO.
A new report from [1] says that Sam Yagan co-founder and CEO of OkCupid, donated $500 to a campaign supporting Rep. Chris Cannon (R-Utah), who has a history of anti-gay and ultra conservative voting. The discovery comes just days after Brendan Eich resigned as CEO of Mozilla after he drew ire for donating $1,000 to a Proposition 8 campaign in 2008.
References
- ^ "Time 100 - Sam Yagan". Time Magazine. April 2013.
- ^ "Ibid".
- ^ John, Pletz (April). "Sam I am". Crain's Chicago Business.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Yagan's influence no illusion". The Daily Journal. December 2013.
- ^ "Time magazine ranks Bourbonnais' Sam Yagan among 100 most influential people". The Daily Journal. April 2013.
- ^ "Executive Profile: Sam Yagan". Bloomberg Businessweek. Bloomberg.
- ^ Aucoin, Don (August 2007). "Digital Man". Boston Globe.
- ^ "Confessions of a Former Entrepreneur". Inc. Magazine. July/August 2011.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Testimony of Sam Yagan". United States Senate Judiciary Committee. Retrieved September 2005.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "Excelerate Labs". Forbes. Retrieved Jan 2012.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "Inc. Magazine".
- ^ "Time 100".
- ^ " "40 under 40". Crain's Chicago Business. 2011.
15. Citizens United and the defenestration of Brendan Eich.
External links
- Profile at IAC