FOUNDER & CEO, WHITNEY LOGISTICS

HOMETOWN: Tampa
ALMA MATER: University of Tampa

AT THE OFFICE: Formerly Whitney Transport, Whitney Logistics recently expanded its services beyond just trucking and hauling to include technology consulting and implementation support services. Whitney Logistics was the first company in Florida to operate a fleet of over 100 independent contractor dump trucks, as well as a sand mine, on a fully electronic load management and ticketing system. “I was born with the bulk transportation industry in my blood,” Chris Whitney says. “My grandfather and father both worked in the industry.”

GIVING BACK: Whitney is the co-founder and president of the Old Florida Federation, which puts on the annual Tampa Pig Jig barbecue competition to benefit the kidney health organization Nephcure. “I and three of my close friends were inspired to support our good friend Will Wellman after he was diagnosed with the rare and debilitating kidney disease FSGS,” Whitney says. “We started the Tampa Pig Jig in 2011 to help raise money and awareness of this disease, which has no known causes or cures. When we started the Pig Jig there were only two FSGS drugs in clinical trials. Through Nephcure’s efforts and the support of the Tampa community, we’ve raised over $5 million over the years. There are now 26 drugs in clinical trials [that those funds have supported]. More than a handful of those trials are in late stages, with real hopes that the drugs will be approved as treatments within the next few years.”

“Additionally, Whitney has partnered with Meals on Wheels through their ‘Adopt-A-Route’ program. We have a dedicated route every other week and our staff helps deliver meals to those in need in our local community. We also assist them by collecting and sorting items for their annual holiday gift drive. MOW is an incredible organization, and their Tampa leadership team has done a great job getting local businesses engaged in giving back.”

WHEN I’M NOT IN THE OFFICE, YOU CAN FIND ME… Spending time at home with my family and friends and of course, watching the Gators, Bucs, Rays or Lightning play.

WHEN I WAS A CHILD I WANTED TO BE… A professional baseball player.

DO YOU HAVE A MOTTO OR PHILOSOPHY YOU LIVE BY? Keep on trucking!

MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT TAMPA IS… Bern’s Steak House.

WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED? There is always a third option.

THE BIGGEST LESSON I LEARNED THIS YEAR WAS… 2020 and the global pandemic brought with it a number of unique challenges. We are very grateful that through the uncertainty we were able to quickly adapt to ensure we could still provide excellent service to our customers while most importantly keeping our employees and contractors safe. I think the real lesson learned this year was that family, close friends and health are and always will be the most important things in life.

MY SECRET SKILL IS… Connecting and aligning people.

THE BEST THING I READ THIS YEAR WAS… I read The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer. It’s had a major impact on me at a timely point in all of our lives. I’ve gifted it to a handful of people since reading it this year. It’s one I should read every year!

WHAT IS YOUR DREAM VACATION? Sailing the Greek islands.