John C. Whitehead, a legendary figure in American finance, diplomacy, philanthropy, and public administration--and a close and treasured friend of Hudson Institute for decades--died at his home in New York on February 7. We mourn his loss and extend our deepest sympathies to his family.
Whitehead rose from a humble Depression-era childhood to become a graduate of Haverford College and Harvard Business School and serve with distinction during World War II as the captain of a Navy landing craft during the first-wave D-Day landings at both Normandy and Iwo Jima. Following the war, he joined Goldman Sachs, and rose to become partner--and eventually chairman--before his first “retirement” in 1984.
Whitehead then served in the Reagan Administration as Deputy Secretary of State during the crucial, closing years of the Cold War from 1985-89. He would later serve as chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York from 1995-2000, and as first chairman (2001-06) of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, charged with overseeing a massive $10 billion reconstruction effort in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.
“John Whitehead left a legacy of transformational achievement in every endeavor he undertook, from the military to investment banking to diplomacy and philanthropy,” said Kenneth R. Weinstein, Hudson's President & CEO. “He was a good friend of Hudson Institute and was a regular at our New York policy events. His wisdom, his charm, and his gentle humor will be sorely missed.”