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Douglas Whitley Biography
As president and CEO of the
Illinois Chamber of Commerce,
Douglas L. Whitley leads the Chamber’s charge to aggressively
promote the interests of Illinois business. With Whitley’s leadership,
the Chamber has taken unprecedented actions on behalf of Illinois
employers, strengthened its role in shaping state and federal
legislation and re-established itself as the unifying voice for business
in Illinois.
Since taking the Chamber’s helm in September 2001, Whitley has built the
Chamber to a new level of strength and visibility for the 21st century.
Whitley and his team have revitalized the Chamber’s advocacy role on the
most important business issues of the day, including: taxation,
regulation, litigation, fee and budget policy; jobs creation; tort and
medical malpractice insurance reform; workers’ compensation;
transportation; the environment; and health care costs.
During Whitley’s tenure, the Illinois Chamber has advanced the cause of
Illinois employers to new levels with a series of first-ever actions.
These include suing the state of Illinois to challenge the
constitutionality of excessive fee increases, endorsing U.S. Senate and
Illinois Supreme Court Justice candidates and purchasing advertising to
raise citizen awareness about important public policy issues. On behalf
of the Illinois Chamber, Whitley has forged relationships with local,
statewide and national organizations and built effective coalitions
devoted to transportation and infrastructure funding, job creation, and
judicial reform, among other issues.
Whitley has a long record of business leadership and expertise in
taxation and regulation, which he has earned in a career spanning the
public and private sectors. Before joining the Illinois Chamber, Whitley
was President of Ameritech Illinois for the six years prior to SBC
Corporation’s acquisition of Ameritech. There, he successfully directed
legislative initiatives in Congress, the Illinois General Assembly and
local Illinois governments, accomplishing the agenda of a highly
regulated corporation facing significant change in its industry.
Whitley served two years as Director of the Illinois Department of
Revenue during the administration of Governor Jim Edgar. He played a
central role in helping the Governor deliver on his campaign promise to
impose property tax caps. Prior to that, Whitley was president of the
Taxpayers’ Federation of Illinois for 14 years. In earlier years, he was
a legislative staff member in the Illinois House of Representatives.
Whitley has been a registered Illinois lobbyist for more than 30 years.
Throughout his career, Whitley has held leadership positions with
numerous business and civic organizations. Whitley co-founded and
co-chairs the Transportation for Illinois Coalition, and the Chamber is
a founding member of the Illinois Coalition for Jobs, Growth and
Prosperity. Whitley’s other leadership positions have included the
Illinois Business Roundtable, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, the
Economic Club of Chicago and Mayor Daley’s Work Force Development Board.
Whitley serves on the Illinois Workforce Investment Board and the
Employers’ Advisory Board to the Illinois Department of Labor. He is a
member of the Economic Club of Chicago and the Executives’ Club.
A lifelong Illinois resident, Whitley holds a bachelor’s degree in
government and history from Southern Illinois University. He was granted
an honorary doctorate degree from Western Illinois University in 1999.
Whitley spent his youth in Atwood, a small, central Illinois farming
community of 1,200, where he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.
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