Vinod Gupta

Vinod Gupta (born July 4, 1946; often mentioned as "Vin Gupta") is an Indian-American businessman, investor, and philanthropist. He is the founder and former chief executive officer (CEO) and chairman of infoGROUP (previously known as infoUSA). Gupta was CEO of infoGROUP from the time of its incorporation in 1972 until September 1997, and again from August 1998 to August 2008. Gupta has donated over $100 million to numerous philanthropic endeavors in the United States and India. Borrowing $100 from a bank to get started, Gupta grew infoGroup from a one-man operation to a global employer of over 5,000 with annual revenues of over $750 million. Under Gupta's leadership, infoGROUP acquired over 45 companies. InfoGroup was sold in July 2010 for $680 million. In 2010, Gupta founded DatabaseUSA.com. Gupta later founded and/or acquired a number of businesses, including A to Z Databases, Express-Copy, InfoFree, JangoMail, LocatePlus, and LP Police, which are owned by the Everest Group, Gupta's family office and investment corporation. Former United States President Bill Clinton praised Gupta's and infoGroup's dedication to public service in Clinton's book Giving, which described the company as one that "has made a concerted effort to hire people who were on welfare, as well as people who are disabled or who have to support themselves after getting out of unsafe domestic situations." Gupta noted that he was "deeply honored by President Clinton's recognition of infoUSA's hiring programs," and that he was "proud of infoUSA's commitment to providing opportunities to our fellow citizens, helping them achieve financial independence and vocational success whether they are working their way off welfare or overcoming a disability." President Clinton appointed Gupta to serve as a trustee of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Gupta was nominated (and confirmed) to serve as the United States Consul General to Bermuda, as well as the United States ambassador to Fiji.