The father in our father-son founding team, Mark, works behind the scenes with John upfront as the face of the business. Mark has extensive experience developing innovative organizations with a focus on customers. And he’s a Dad who is excited about working with his son.
Mark X. Cronin’s career combines public service, technology and innovation. He is the President of Paumonok Innovations Inc., the parent company of John’s Crazy Socks. Paumonok develops online information sites and niche stores. Mark has a history developing digital offerings. In the 1990’s, he founded New Gutenberg software which produced one of the first baseball informational titles.
Mark spent most of his career in the health care field building innovative organizations focused on improving the delivery of health care particularly to the poor and Medicaid recipients. Mark served as Chief Operating and Technology Officer for two health care management firms that empowered doctors and hospitals to better serve patients. As the head of a leading health care consulting firm, Mark advised hospitals, health centers and physician organizations to improve care and he worked with hospitals and health centers as they created some of the best known managed care organizations in New York State.
Earlier in his career, Mark served as the Director of Medicaid Health Services in New York City where he led a major Medicaid reform initiative that included groundbreaking legislation in Albany and improvements in care while restraining costs. While with the City, Mark worked under two mayors and won an award as Manager of the Year. Mark went on to work with hospitals and health centers that created some of the best known managed care organizations in New York State.
He has a background in education having taught graduate studies at NYU and lectured on management at Columbia’s School of Public Health. Early in his career, Mark taught school in Queens and worked for Congressman Joseph P. Addabbo.
Mark received his undergraduate degree from Holy Cross and a Masters of Public Policy at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He has also studied literature at the Graduate Center for the City of New York and spent a year studying at Trinity College in Dublin.
Mark was the co-leader for the Barack Obama Grassroots Campaign on Long Island and served as one of President Obama’s appointees on the Rules Committee at the Democratic Convention in 2008.
He has been active in the Huntington community as a coach, volunteer and community advocate. For several years, he served on the board of a local youth organization. He is also an avid reader and published author of short fiction, movie reviews and political analysis.
Along with John, Mark advocates for the rights of differing abled people. He works with the National Down Syndrome Society to support their #DSWORKS and End Law Syndrome campaigns. He has met with members of Congress on multiple occasions representing both the National Down Syndrome Society and the Special Olympics and testified before the House Committee on Small Business.
Mark has been fortunate enough to receive many awards and honors for his work. HeartShare Social Services recognized Mark with their Msgr. Thomas G. Hagerty Humanitarian Award. Mark’s community activity earned him an award as Man of the Year for civic activity from the Times of Huntington. Mark is a sought after speaker having spoken at events across the U.S. and in Canada.