Martin J. Whalen - Chairman
Chairman - martyw@gcbaz.com
Marty Whalen, a successful businessman and attorney has a distinguished career history. He attended DePaul University in Chicago, IL, receiving his JD degree in 1965 before being appointed Assistant Attorney General for State of Illinois, where he became Chief of the Antitrust Division. Moving into the private sector, Marty served as Acting Chief Counsel for Argonne National Laboratory, a nuclear research facility. He later joined Eastern Airlines as a labor relations counselor, eventually becoming Director, Labor Relations - Flight.
In 1976, Marty joined Hughes Airwest, serving as Director of Labor Relations, then as General Attorney, leading the company's international business of operating and/or developing programs in Argentina, Burma, Liberia, Mauritania, Nepal, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia and other third world countries. Later, Marty was sent to Hughes Helicopters to help bring the AH-64 "Apache" helicopter into production. When Hughes Helicopters became McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Co, Marty was VP of Administration and Chief of Staff and was responsible for design and construction of the company's Mesa facility and for relocating the company to Mesa.
He returned to the airline business in 1986 as Senior VP - Administration and General Counsel for fledgling America West Airlines. Marty established the law, security, corporate secretary, human resources and government relations departments at the airline and frequently served as spokesman to the media. He served a term as President of the Airline Industrial Relations Conference (AIRCON), and was a delegate to the President's Council on International Relations. Marty played a key role in bringing the airline out of bankruptcy in 1994, with all creditors paid in full; noted as the most successful case in the history of Chapter 11. He retired as Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs for America West Airlines in 1996. Today he is engaged in consulting and investment activities.
A native of Chicago, Marty met Mary Jo, his wife of 43 years, while in college. They have four children and six grandchildren in New Jersey, Missouri and Arizona.
Marty is civically active having served seven years on the Mesa Planning and Zoning Board. He has served on several ad hoc city and school district committees and a number of charitable boards. He currently chairs the Mesa Police & Fire Local Pension Boards and the East Valley Institute of Technology Foundation. He serves as President of Mesa's Municipal Development Corp., is a director of the Mesa HoHoKams and is vice president of the Prehab Foundation.
