 Commerce Connect was formed with the intention of acquiring media properties in 1999 by CEO Paul Mackler and the ABRY Partners investment firm, Commerce Connect controlled Cygnus for most of the next decade.After an aggressive expansion in the early 2000s, Cygnus, in difficult financial straits, saw the departure of Cygnus Publishing president, Rich Reiff, in July 2006 and later that year the resignation of its CEO, Paul Mackler.Replacing Mackler were co-CEOs Carr Davis and Tony O’Brien.