Andrew Mason

He is the founder and former CEO of Groupon, a Chicago-based website offering users discounts on local businesses and scholarships. It was found that The Point – a social initiatives platform whose name was inspired by Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point – was too abstract to market, and it was stripped down to the Groupon concept, a website that sells deals to local businesses.

The idea for Groupon was created by now-ousted CEO and Pittsburgh native Andrew Mason.

After graduating from Northwestern University in 2003 with a degree in music, Mason worked in web design for Chicago entrepreneur Eric Lefkofsky.

In January 2007, Lefkofsky co-founded and provided $1 million in funding for ThePoint.com, an collective action website started by Andrew Mason, and New Enterprise Associates led an early stage investment round.

He graduated from Mt. Lebanon High School in 1999 and started a Saturday morning delivery service called "Bagel Express" when he was aged 15.

Mason grew up in a Jewish family in Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh.

He is the founder and former CEO of Groupon, a Chicago-based website offering users discounts on local businesses and scholarships.

He is the founder and former CEO of Groupon, a Chicago-based website offering users discounts on local businesses and scholarships.

Mason grew up in a Jewish family in Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh.

Mason grew up in a Jewish family in Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh.

After graduating from Northwestern University in 2003 with a degree in music, Mason worked in web design for Chicago entrepreneur Eric Lefkofsky.

After graduating from Northwestern University in 2003 with a degree in music, Mason worked in web design for Chicago entrepreneur Eric Lefkofsky.

Mason stopped working with Lefkofsky to attend the University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy after he was awarded a scholarship.

However, he dropped out of his master's degree program several months after it started.

Mason also interned and worked at prominent Chicago recording studio, Electrical Audio, under recording engineer Steve Albini, whom Mason cited as an inspiration on his subsequent work ethic.

Mason also interned and worked at prominent Chicago recording studio, Electrical Audio, under recording engineer Steve Albini, whom Mason cited as an inspiration on his subsequent work ethic.

It was found that The Point – a social initiatives platform whose name was inspired by Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point – was too abstract to market, and it was stripped down to the Groupon concept, a website that sells deals to local businesses.

It was found that The Point – a social initiatives platform whose name was inspired by Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point – was too abstract to market, and it was stripped down to the Groupon concept, a website that sells deals to local businesses.

On December 1, 2010, The New York Times reported that Groupon was the subject of a $6 billion acquisition bid from Google, which Groupon turned down.

On December 1, 2010, The New York Times reported that Groupon was the subject of a $6 billion acquisition bid from Google, which Groupon turned down.

In 2010, Mason's salary was $180,000; "at his own recommendation" it was reduced to $756.72 effective January 1, 2011, according to the company's SEC filings.

On December 18, 2012, Mason was named "Worst CEO of the Year" by Herb Greenberg of CNBC.

On December 18, 2012, Mason was named "Worst CEO of the Year" by Herb Greenberg of CNBC.

Greenberg wrote, in part, "Mason's goofball antics, which can come off more like a big kid than company leader, almost make a mockery of corporate leadership – especially for a company with a market value of more than $3 billion. It would be excusable, even endearing, if the company were doing well (think Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines) but it's not. Sales growth is through the floor...".

Greenberg wrote, in part, "Mason's goofball antics, which can come off more like a big kid than company leader, almost make a mockery of corporate leadership – especially for a company with a market value of more than $3 billion. It would be excusable, even endearing, if the company were doing well (think Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines) but it's not. Sales growth is through the floor...".

Journalists estimated that his severance pay was just $378.36—six months' worth of salary—based on his employment agreement and his latest public salary information.