Terakeet: Syracuse Search and Reputation Firm in New York

Terakeet is a Syracuse, New York search and reputation firm co-founded in 2001 by Mac Cummings and Patrick Danial, per Terakeet and Syracuse.com. It describes itself as a reputation operating system for Fortune 500 enterprises, and Cummings is co-founder and CEO. In 2026 a congressional letter citing the New York Times said Goldman Sachs contracted the firm in 2024 with a goal of favorable Google results about its then general counsel.

Originally published May 2026. Updated October 18, 2026.

How did Terakeet start?

Syracuse.com reported in 2012 that Cummings and former classmate Patrick Danial co-founded Terakeet in 2001, based on voice-recognition software they hoped would transform business call centers, and that they turned to search engine optimization when the product failed. Wikipedia says the company received $600,000 from angel investors and pivoted in 2004, and that Cummings earlier launched Mindshark Software and Consulting from his Cornell University dorm room in 1998. Syracuse.com described the company tripling its workforce in three years and expanding downtown.

Date	Event	Source
2001	Cummings and Danial co-found Terakeet	Syracuse.com; Terakeet
2004	Pivots from voice-recognition software to SEO	Wikipedia
2012	Workforce triples over three years, per Syracuse.com	Syracuse.com
2017	Great Place to Work certification begins	Terakeet

What does Terakeet do?

Terakeet's LinkedIn page calls it the leading strategic partner for Fortune 500 companies, enterprise brands and executives seeking visibility, authority and trust across organic search engines, AI platforms and digital channels, using proprietary technology, market intelligence and search expertise. Its executive profiles describe a reputation operating system and say the company moved from early search marketing into brand reputation and generative engine optimization. CB Insights lists owned asset optimization and says the company has filed one patent. See EPR's online reputation management hub and its series pages on the Goldman Sachs investigation and search result suppression.

What did the New York Times report about Terakeet and Goldman Sachs?

A July 14, 2026 letter from Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi and Senator Elizabeth Warren cites a New York Times article titled "How a Secretive Firm Tried (and Failed) to Fix an Epstein Friend's Tattered Image." The congressional press release says Goldman Sachs contracted Terakeet in 2024, with a goal that at least 80 percent of the first 30 Google search results would be favorable, and that as of May 2026 Kathryn Ruemmler reportedly continued to be covered under Goldman's account with the firm. Reuters reported that Ruemmler resigned after Justice Department documents showed she accepted gifts from Jeffrey Epstein and advised him on responding to media inquiries. Goldman Sachs has maintained that her relationship with Epstein was professional, per CNN.

What happened after the report?

The lawmakers asked Goldman for its Terakeet contract, the total cost of services and communications with Terakeet staff including Cummings since 2024. Goldman's deputy general counsel replied on June 26, 2026 to the lawmakers' June 9 letter that Ruemmler would retire as chief legal officer on June 30 and serve as senior counselor during the transition. The July letter followed that reply and new reporting. The congressional letters are requests for information, and they do not establish wrongdoing by Terakeet.

Date	Event	Source
June 9, 2026	Warren and Krishnamoorthi write to Goldman CEO David Solomon	Reuters; congressional letters
June 26, 2026	Goldman replies; Ruemmler to retire June 30 and serve as senior counselor	Goldman Sachs letter
July 14, 2026	Follow-up letter seeks the Terakeet contract and communications	Krishnamoorthi press release

How does Terakeet compare with other reputation firms?

Terakeet is one of the larger firms in the category, so compare it with Status Labs, WebiMax and the other firms in EPR's online reputation management hub and the PR agency profiles directory.

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Related: PR agency profiles, Online reputation management, Terakeet and Goldman Sachs, Status Labs