American computer programmer Jim Buckmaster is the CEO of Craigslist since 2000 and he has an estimated net worth of $40 million. Born on August 14, 1962 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, he earned his bachelor’s degree summa cum laude from Virginia Tech. In the 1990’s, he studied medicine and classics at the University of Michigan.
Buckmaster directed the web development of the now defunct site Creditland and Quantum. From 1994 to 1995, he built the terabyte-scale, database-driven web interface at Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) at the University of Michigan. This enables the researchers worldwide to have an access on the primary data archive for the social sciences.
Craig Newmark, the founder of Craigslist, recruited Jim Buckmaster as the site’s lead programmer. He has contributed on the homepage design, multi-city architecture, discussion forums, search engine, community moderation system, self-posting process, personal categories including missed connections, and best-of-craigslist. He also manages the Craigslist Charitable Fund, serves as the executive producer fro Craigslist TV, and writes on the Craigslist blog from time to time.
Buckmaster is the CEO best described as anti-establishment, a communist and a socialistic anarchist. Since 2000, he has led Craigslist to its current position – the most used classifieds in any medium. Today, it is one of the world’s most popular websites that still maintains its public service mission and non-corporate vibe with its 30 plus employees.