I don't know if you're right about the meaning of the word, but a Google search turns up 12 results for "Macker" and none for "Macher," so you're right about the name.
macher is German, also. It means 'powerful, influential person' as kattracks has said it means in Yiddish.
The connotation would be 'wheeler-dealer' or 'string-puller'.
The root word is 'macht' (english = power). For example, 'Wehrmacht' (english = army).
longjack