John C. Whitehead, a World War II veteran who served as deputy secretary of state under President Ronald Reagan and was founding chairman of the National Sept. 11 Memorial & Museum, has died. He was 92.
Whitehead was acknowledged for overcoming obstacles to help ensure the memorial and museum reached fundraising goals, finished with an acceptable design and got built. He also chaired the Lower Manhattan Development Corp., which helped lead the area's rebuilding after Sept. 11, 2001.
The museum confirmed his death Saturday.
"In the wake of 9/11, amidst devastation and loss, our great city and nation needed a true leader to help guide the recovery and revitalization of lower Manhattan," it said in a release. "We were blessed to have John take on that charge. He embarked on a journey marked by emotional, political, and physical challenges, steering downtown's resurgence and establishing a master plan for the World Trade Center rebuilding that would help to heal one of our nation's deepest wounds."
The post-Sept. 11 roles came after numerous other achievements for the Evanston, Illinois, native who grew up in Montclair, New Jersey, including his service to his country: He was among those storming the beaches of Normandy during World War II.
The Haverford College and Harvard University graduate also participated in the invasions of Southern France, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
Before entering public service full time, Whitehead worked in finance, eventually heading Goldman, Sachs & Co., where he worked for 38 years. He also served as director of the New York Stock Exchange, chairman of the Securities Industry Association and chairman of the board for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Local
In 1985, he was appointed by Reagan as deputy secretary of state. He remained in the Department of State's No. 2 position under Secretary George Shultz until January 1989.
