1. Mark Edward Whitacre was born on May 1,1957 and is an American business executive who came to public attention in 1995 when, as president of the Decatur, Illinois-based BioProducts Division at Archer Daniels Midland, he became the highest-level corporate executive in US history to become a Federal Bureau of Investigation whistleblower.
For three years, Whitacre acted as a cooperating witness for the FBI, which was investigating ADM for price fixing.
Mark Whitacre is currently the chief science officer and President of Operations at Cypress Systems, a California biotechnology firm.
Mark Whitacre was a PhD scientist at Ralston Purina after he graduated from Cornell University in early 1983.
Mark Whitacre then was Vice President at Evonik from 1984 to 1989 prior to joining ADM.
In late 1989, Mark Whitacre became the President of the BioProducts Division at ADM.
Mark Whitacre wore a wire for the FBI assisting in one of the largest price fixing cases in US history, against ADM.
Mark Whitacre worked at Biomar until his incarceration began during early 1998.
In December 2006, after his release from federal prison, Mark Whitacre was hired by Cypress Systems Inc.
In March 2008, Mark Whitacre was promoted to the company's Chief Operating Officer and President of operations.
In 1992, during an ADM-initiated investigation of corporate espionage and sabotage, Mark Whitacre informed an FBI agent that he and other ADM executives were involved in an illegal multinational lysine price-fixing scheme.
Mark Whitacre's wife pressured him into becoming a whistleblower after she threatened to go to the FBI herself.
Eichenwald writes that Mark Whitacre lied and became delusional in a failed attempt to save himself, making the FBI investigation much more difficult.
Two doctors later diagnosed Mark Whitacre as suffering from bipolar disorder.
Eichenwald concludes that Mark Whitacre's sentence was unjust because of his mental instability at the time.
Eichenwald, two prosecutors, an FBI agent, and Mark Whitacre were featured on a September 15,2000, episode of the radio program This American Life about the ADM case.
Mark Whitacre married his high school sweetheart, Ginger Gilbert, on June 16,1979.
Mark Whitacre became a Christian during his incarceration, and since his prison release during December 2006, he has been often interviewed by the Christian community-including the Christian Broadcasting Network -about redemption, second chances, and the importance of his faith.
Forbes reported that Whitacre was guest speaker at the Quantico FBI Academy during 2011 about second chances, and he was keynote speaker for the 40th Annual NAPSA Conference in 2012 along with Robert F Kennedy Jr.