ABOUT BRIAN McCORMACK:

 

Since graduating from the University of Illinois Urbana/Champaign in 1990, Brian McCormack has been drawn to the entrepreneurial world, becoming one of the leading investors in Illinois startup companies across a wide variety of categories.

 

Mr. McCormack expands his investment portfolio as founder and manager of McCormack Capital, LLC, a leading investment firm funded 100% by Mr. McCormack, currently with $420,000,000 under management.

 

The firm was an early investor in Echo Global Logistics (NASDAQ: ECHO), started in 2005 to simplify transportation management by connecting businesses that need to ship products with insured carriers, across all major transportation modes. McCormack Capital was also an early supporter of Light Bank, a startup incubator specializing in seeding venture capital investments in “disruptive” technology companies in the U.S.

 

One of Mr. McCormack’s most noted home runs came with deal-of-the-day company Groupon (NASDAQ: GRPN), in 2008. Today Groupon operates in 35+ countries and has more than 30 million subscribers in North America alone and, in 2011, became the fastest growing billion-dollar company in history.

 

In 2001 Mr. McCormack founded the marketing agency InnerWorkings (NASDAQ: INWK), which provides branded merchandise, direct mail and print material to retail and health care sectors. Today, it’s one of the world’s largest printing firms, with over $1 billion in sales and 1,800 employees worldwide.

 

One of Mr. McCormack’s crowning achievements was co-founding the pioneering cannabis company Cresco Labs in 2013. It went public on the Canadian Stock Exchange in December 2018 and today has a market cap in excess of $4 billion. Mr. McCormack served as Vice-Chairman until July 2020 and remains the company’s largest stockholder.

 

Cresco Labs operates in 10 states with 32 dispensaries and has grown into one of the largest multi-state vertically integrated cannabis companies, controlling everything from cultivation, manufacturing, extraction, and packaging – from seed to sales.

 

Mr. McCormack believes strongly in developing pathways into the expanding cannabis industry for communities severely impacted by drug abuse. He helped establish SEED for Cresco, “Social Equity & Educational Development”. SEED’s mission is to work through three pillars:  restorative justice, community business incubation, and education and workforce development.

 

In May of 2021, Mr. McCormack was named to the board of GigNet, a company he also holds investments in, as Senior Advisor.  GigNet Chairman and CEO Paul A. Moore cited Mr. McCormack’s past success in assisting companies to rapidly increase shareholder value through market innovation and effic­­iency.  GigNet is the Mexican Caribbean brand of ­­­­­­­­ a U.S. based international Digital Infrastructure company.

 

Other McCormack Capital notable investments and liquidity events include Sentry Technology, biotech firm Tempus and the purchase/sale of Chicago’s famous Wrigley Building.

 

Mr. McCormack has recently been nominated for the Board of Directors of Rush Health Systems.  Rush is a national leader in outstanding patient care, education, research, community partnerships and empowering a new generation of health care providers. 

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Philanthropy:

Mr. McCormack is a long-time supporter of the child-care organization Maryville Academy, both through his financial generosity and as a decade-long director on their board.

 

The 129-year-old institution is rooted in the Catholic social teachings of preserving the dignity of children of every age. "I believe in Maryville's values," he said, "especially that our everyday work should be given to the child/family centered concept in both action and attitude".

 

Mr. McCormack’s philanthropic efforts extend to mental health initiatives, in particular the Noreen McCormack Charitable Trust, which he serves as Executive Chairman. This foundation pledges up to $3 million annually to causes that he deeply believes in including educational platforms for lower income communities.  "Poverty in low-income communities is a gigantic problem in the United States," Mr. McCormack said, "I believe that those of us who have benefited from success in business need to always be looking for ways to give back."

 

Mr. McCormack has also been a Board Member of the University of Notre Dame's Irish American Board since 2009, where he helped build alliances with Irish counterparts around the world and align them with the campus in South Bend.  "I think it's a good way to honor my Irish heritage," says Mr. McCormack, who is also a member of Notre Dame's President's Circle.