John Whitman (businessman)

John Whitman
First Gentleman of New Jersey
In role
January 18, 1994 – January 31, 2001
Preceded byLucinda Florio
Succeeded byDiane DiFrancesco
Personal details
Born
John Russell Whitman

(1944-06-08)June 8, 1944
Albany, New York, U.S.
DiedJuly 2, 2015(2015-07-02) (aged 71)
Morristown, New Jersey, U.S.
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1974)​
RelationsCharles S. Whitman (grandfather)
EducationYale University
Harvard Business School (MBA)
Occupationbusinessman

John Russell Whitman (June 8, 1944 – July 2, 2015) was an American businessman and investment banker who served as first gentleman of New Jersey from 1994 to 2001, as the husband of Governor Christine Todd Whitman.[1][2] Whitman worked in the fields of banking and financial services.[3]

Early life and education

Whitman was born in Albany, New York in 1944. His grandfather, Charles S. Whitman, was the 41st Governor of New York (serving from 1915 to 1919), and his father, Charles Seymour Whitman Jr., was a New York civil court judge.[1][3] He had a brother (Charles S. Whitman, III) and a sister (Janet Whitman).[3]

Whitman earned a bachelor's degree from Yale University, graduating in 1966.[1] He then served as a first lieutenant in the US Army during the Vietnam War.[1] He received an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1971.[4][1]

Career

Whitman began his banking career with Citicorp in 1972, eventually rising to Vice President in charge of the Corporate Finance Department of Citicorp International Bank Ltd. in London.[4]

Whitman served as Chairman and CEO of Prudential-Bache Interfunding from 1987 to 1990.[5][4] He also was the managing partner of Sycamore Ventures, an international venture capital fund incorporated in the Cayman Islands.[6]

During his wife's term as Governor of New Jersey, Whitman held no official role in her administration. He was appointed by his wife as co-chairman of the New Jersey World Cup Host Committee in 1994.[7] He also mediated the 1995 negotiations between the New Jersey Devils and the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority that kept the Devils from moving to Nashville, Tennessee.[8] In 1997, Whitman was appointed by his wife to head the fund raising committee to restore the dome of the New Jersey State House.[9]

Personal life

Whitman had met his future wife before they went on their first date, which occurred in 1973 at President Richard M. Nixon's inaugural ball.[1] Whitman married the former Christine "Christie" Todd in 1974.[3] They resided on a farm in the Oldwick section of Tewksbury Township, New Jersey.[3] They had a son, Taylor, and a daughter, Kate, and six grandchildren.[3]

On June 19, 2015, Whitman fell, resulting in a catastrophic brain injury.[10] He died in a hospital at Morristown, New Jersey, on July 2, 2015, at the age of 71.[3][1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Slotnik, Daniel E. (July 3, 2015). "John Whitman, Investment Banker and Husband of Governor, Dies at 71". The New York Times. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
  2. ^ Fitzgerald, Barbara (3 February 2002). "There's a Big Stink At Whitman's E.P.A." The New York Times. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Friedman, Matt (July 2, 2015). "John Whitman, husband of former N.J. Gov. Christie Whitman, dies". NJ.com. NJ Advance Media. Retrieved July 10, 2015. ...Whitman, who lived with his wife on a farm in Oldwick, was a key player in her first campaign.
  4. ^ a b c "John Whitman". sycamorevc.com. Sycamore Ventures Pte Ltd. Archived from the original on January 15, 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
  5. ^ Peterson, Melody (February 16, 1997). "At Home: The Governor's Close Ties to Prudential". The New York Times. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
  6. ^ Peterson, Melody (October 18, 1997). "Whitman's Husband Has Behind-the-Scenes Role". The New York Times. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
  7. ^ Jones, Joyce (March 13, 1994). "For Governor's Husband, A World Cup Role". The New York Times. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
  8. ^ Dellapina, John (July 11, 1995). "Meaningful Meeting? Devils, Jersey Keep Negotiations Going". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on August 15, 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
  9. ^ Pristin, Terry (October 25, 1996). "Funds Sought for State Dome". The New York Times. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
  10. ^ "John Whitman, Husband of Former New Jersey Governor, Dies". ABCNews.go.com. ABC News. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
Preceded by First Gentleman of New Jersey
1994–2001 		Succeeded by
Diane DiFrancesco