Elisabeth DeMarse

DeMarse grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina{{Cite web |last=Kassel |first=Matthew |date=2013-08-06 |title=TheStreet Fighter: Can CEO DeMarse Revive Jim Cramer's Stagnating Site? |url=https://observer.com/2013/08/thestreet-fighter-can-ceo-demarse-revive-jim-cramers-stagnating-site/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240616180123/https://observer.com/2013/08/thestreet-fighter-can-ceo-demarse-revive-jim-cramers-stagnating-site/ |archive-date=2024-06-16 |access-date=2020-07-27 |website=The Observer |language=en-US}} and graduated from Charlotte Country Day School. She received her A.B. course degree from Wellesley College and her MBA degree from Harvard Business School.

Her father, Samuel Cummings Hair, ran Interstate Advertising, an outdoor and airport display company in North Carolina. Her mother, Liz Hair, was Chairman of the Board of Commissioners for Mecklenburg County.{{Cite web|last=Powell|first=Dannye|date=22 March 2014|title=Political pioneer Liz Hair fondly recalled at funeral|url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article9106088.html|access-date=|website=The Charlotte Observer}} At age 15, she founded an alternative newspaper, The Naked Truth, and was editor of The Country Day Monitor.

DeMarse began her career in politics by serving on the Senate Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities (aka The Watergate Committee) and then as an aide to Congressman Edward I. Koch. DeMarse went with Koch to New York’s City Hall when he became Mayor. Koch named DeMarse to a four-year term on the New York Commission on the Status of Women in 1985.

After graduating from Harvard Business School, DeMarse became assistant to Robert Flanagan, CEO of Western Union. In 1988, she joined Michael Bloomberg's Bloomberg as head of marketing. While at Bloomberg, DeMarse launched eight businesses, including Bloomberg.com. She launched the Bloomberg series of cartoon books with The New Yorker magazine.{{cite web |last=Quain |first=John |date=31 August 1997 |title=My Favorite Bookmarks - Elizabeth DeMarse |url=http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/10/favdemarse.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241215132735/https://www.fastcompany.com/32716/my-favorite-bookmarks-elizabeth-demarse |archive-date=2024-12-15 |access-date=2025-04-25 |website=Fast Company}} While serving at Bloomberg, DeMarse compiled The Portable Bloomberg: The Wit and Wisdom of Michael Bloomberg, a collection of aphorisms and sayings by the company's founder.{{cite news |last=Wolff |first=Michael |date=2001-09-17 |title=Chairman Mike |url=https://nymag.com/nymetro/news/media/columns/medialife/5163/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240424094411/https://nymag.com/nymetro/news/media/columns/medialife/5163/ |archive-date=2024-04-24 |access-date=2019-09-17 |work=New York (magazine) |location=New York City, New York}}

While at Bloomberg, DeMarse created and ran Bloomberg Personal Finance, then termed “Personal Wealth.” In 2000, she was recruited by former Forbes publisher Jeff Cunningham to run iLife. At that time, iLife was in financial trouble and ranked #7 on the March 2000 Barron’s “Burn Rate” list.{{cite web |last=Willoughby |first=Jack |date=2000-03-20 |title=Burning Up |url=http://commerce.barrons.com/auth/login?mg=inert-barrons&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.barrons.com%2Fdocuments%2Fbarrons20000320.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324100121/http://commerce.barrons.com/auth/login?mg=inert-barrons&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.barrons.com%2Fdocuments%2Fbarrons20000320.htm |archive-date=2012-03-24 |access-date=2025-04-25 |website=Bartons.com}}{{cite web |last=Leitzes |first=Adam |date=2000-11-08 |title=Entrepreneurial Roadtrip |url=https://www.forbes.com/2000/11/08/1108netcents.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221109022308/https://www.forbes.com/2000/11/08/1108netcents.html |archive-date=2022-11-09 |accessdate=2011-06-23 |website=Forbes}} Two quarters later, ad revenues had increased, and the company's cash flow returned to break-even levels.{{cite web|title=Interview with Elisabeth DeMarse, CEO, Ilife.com|url=http://www.twst.com/ceos/ilif.html|date=July 24, 2000|accessdate=June 23, 2011}}{{cite web|last=Holland|first=Anne|title=How Bankrate Kept Online Ad Revenues Steady Despite the Economy|url=http://www.marketingsherpa.com/content/?q=node/1690|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930061536/http://www.marketingsherpa.com/content/?q=node%2F1690 |archivedate=2011-09-30 }} The stock price rose from $0.18 to $26 per share.{{cite web|last=Marcial|first=Gene|date=21 July 2003|title=Bankrate: Bouncing Back from the Dot.com Bust|url=http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/03_29/b3842120_mz027.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031003055125/http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/03_29/b3842120_mz027.htm|archive-date=3 October 2003|accessdate=June 23, 2011|website=BusinessWeek}}{{cite web|last=Jacobs|first=Tom|title=Management Rules|url=http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2003/11/18/management-rules.aspx|website=Motley Fool|date=November 18, 2003}} She re-branded the company as Bankrate.com. In 2000, Bankrate's unique visitors grew from 700,000 to 5 million. In 2004, Bankrate reported $14 million in net income. On November 1, 2001, DeMarse testified before the US Congress on the impact of 9/11 on the credit card billing of the consumer. DeMarse also testified before the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit, regarding the ‘unfairness’ of consumer late fees brought about by the events of 9/11.{{cite web|title=Testimony of Elisabeth DeMarse, President and CEO, Bankrate, Inc. before The Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit, Spencer Baucus, Alabama, Chairman|url=http://bulk.resource.org/gpo.gov/hearings/107h/76183.txt|date=November 1, 2001}} Subsequently, some issuers, notably Capital One, cancelled their late fees.{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}}

In 2006, she founded DeMarseCo in partnership with venture capitalist Austin Ventures.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=10 April 2006|title=Austin Ventures investing $50M in new company|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2006/04/10/daily7.html|access-date=|website=Austin Business Journal}} DeMarseCo acquired multiple tech companies, including ClickSuccess, Freedom Marketing, and All Star Directories.

DeMarse became president and CEO of CreditCards.com. Under DeMarse's leadership, the company was twice named to the Inc. 500,{{cite web|title=Inc. Magazine"Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America|url=http://www.inc.com/inc5000/2008/company-profile.html?id=200807870|date=June 20, 2007}} and as a recipient of the Association for Corporate Growth award.{{cite web|title=ACG, CreditCards.com Recognized for Outstanding Corporate Growth|url=http://www.creditcards.com/press-releases/CreditCards-com-Recognized-for-Outstanding-Corporate-Growth-June-20.pdf|date=June 20, 2007|access-date=June 24, 2011|archive-date=March 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306033449/http://www.creditcards.com/press-releases/CreditCards-com-Recognized-for-Outstanding-Corporate-Growth-June-20.pdf|url-status=dead}} She received the Working Mother of the Year award in 2008.{{cite web|last=Brady|first=Diane|date=February 6, 2008|title=Ad pros share working mother moments|url=http://www.businessweek.com/careers/managementiq/archives/2008/02/ad_pros_share_working_mother_moments.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100819080549/http://www.businessweek.com/careers/managementiq/archives/2008/02/ad_pros_share_working_mother_moments.html|archive-date=19 August 2010|access-date=|website=Businessweek}} CreditCards.com was acquired by Bankrate in 2010.

On October 17, 2010, after the sale of Creditcards.com to Bankrate, it was announced that DeMarse would undertake the role as CEO of Newser, an internet news publisher listed at the #25 most influential internet publication by OMMA. On February 28, 2011, Andrew Ross Sorkin disclosed that Newser’s pending acquisition of Salon.com had failed.{{cite web|last=Sorkin|first=Andrew|date=28 February 2011|title=Salon.com Merger Talks Collapse|url=https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/02/28/salon-com-sale-talks-collapse/|accessdate=23 June 2011|website=The New York Times}}{{cite web|last=Adams|first=Russell|date=June 23, 2011|title=Salon CEO to Take On News Job at Google|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304791204576401920798495038|accessdate=June 23, 2011|website=Wall Street Journal}}

On March 7, 2012, TheStreet.com announced that DeMarse was hired as CEO and president, replacing outgoing CEO Daryl Otte, effective immediately.{{cite web |last=Baron |first=Michael |date=2012-03-07 |title=TheStreet Hires Elisabeth DeMarse as CEO (Update1) |url=http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/story/11447556/1/thestreet-hires-elisabeth-demarse-as-ceo.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230929104253/https://www.thestreet.com/investing/thestreet-hires-elisabeth-demarse-as-ceo-11447556 |archive-date=2023-09-29 |accessdate=2012-03-08 |website=TheStreet.com}} She was named Chairman April 16, 2012. On September 12, 2012, TheStreet acquired The Deal, LLC.{{Cite news|last=Benoit|first=David|date=2012-09-12|title=TheStreet Buys The Deal|language=en-US|work=Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390443884104577647823669743412|access-date=2020-07-27|issn=0099-9660}}{{Cite web|last=Kelly|first=Keith J.|date=2012-09-13|title=It's a done 'Deal'|url=https://nypost.com/2012/09/13/its-a-done-deal/|access-date=2020-07-27|website=New York Post|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2012-09-12|title=TheStreet makes a deal for The Deal for $5.8M|url=https://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20120912/ENTERTAINMENT/120919962/thestreet-makes-a-deal-for-the-deal-for-5-8m|access-date=2020-07-27|website=Crain's New York Business|language=en}} On April 22, 2013, TheStreet acquired three properties from DealFlow Media: The DealFlow Report, The Life Settlements Report, and the PrivateRaise database.{{Cite web|date=2013-04-22|title=TheStreet Acquires 3 Properties from DealFlow Media Inc.|url=https://www.foliomag.com/thestreet-acquires-3-properties-dealflow-media-inc/|access-date=2020-07-27|website=Folio|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Deal|first=The|title=TheStreet Acquires DealFlow Media|url=https://www.thestreet.com/markets/mergers-and-acquisitions/thestreet-acquires-dealflow-media-11901938|access-date=2020-07-27|website=TheStreet|language=en-us}}

DeMarse has contributed to the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company for 20 years, serving as secretary, treasurer, and President of the Board.

DeMarse has been a board member of Edgar Online, YP Corporation, InsWeb Corporation, Heska Corporation, Internet Patents Corporation, Incredimail.com, and Stockgroup. She is currently a board member of Kubient Inc.{{cite web|website=Forbes|url=https://people.forbes.com/profile/elisabeth-demarse/28444|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090204073529/http://people.forbes.com/profile/elisabeth-demarse/28444|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 4, 2009|title=Elisabeth DeMarse, Independent Director}}

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Category:Living people

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Category:Harvard Business School alumni

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Category:Watergate scandal investigators

Category:20th-century American businesswomen

Category:20th-century American women civil servants