Michael Whitaker (government Official)
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Michael Gordon Whitaker (born June 21, 1961) is an American lawyer who served as the 19th administrator of the
Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is a Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government agency within the United States Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation that regulates civil aviation in t ...
(FAA) from 2023 to 2025. He previously served as chief operating officer of
Supernal Hyundai Motor Company, often referred to as Hyundai Motors, ( ) and commonly known as Hyundai (), is a South Korean multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, which was founded in 1967. Currently, the company ow ...
under the Hyundai Motor Company from 2020 to 2023, as principal of the aviation consultancy Whitaker Air Space from 2016 to 2020, and as deputy administrator of FAA from 2013 to 2016.


Education

Whitaker studied at the
University of Louisville The University of Louisville (UofL) is a public university, public research university in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. It is part of the Kentucky state university system. Chartered in 1798 as the Jefferson Seminary, it became in the 19t ...
in
Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...
from 1979 to 1982 and from 1983 to 1984, with one year study-abroad at the Universite de Montpellier in
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
from 1982 to 1983. He received a
Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...
degree with majors in political science and French from the University of Louisville in 1984. He studied at the
Georgetown University Law Center Georgetown University Law Center is the Law school in the United States, law school of Georgetown University, a Private university, private research university in Washington, D.C., United States. It was established in 1870 and is the largest law ...
from 1984 to 1987, and received a
Juris Doctor A Juris Doctor, Doctor of Jurisprudence, or Doctor of Law (JD) is a graduate-entry professional degree that primarily prepares individuals to practice law. In the United States and the Philippines, it is the only qualifying law degree. Other j ...
degree in 1987. He won a Louis C. Kesselman Endowment Award in 1982 from the Department of Political Science at the University of Louisville as an undergraduate student.


Career

Whitaker began his aviation career as a litigator, then as assistant general counsel of international and regulatory affairs at
Trans World Airlines Trans World Airlines (TWA) was a major airline in the United States that operated from 1930 until it was acquired by American Airlines in 2001. It was formed as Transcontinental & Western Air to operate a route from New York City to Los Angeles ...
(TWA). He spent 15 years at
United Airlines United Airlines, Inc. is a Major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Chicago, Chicago, Illinois that operates an extensive domestic and international route network across the United States and six ...
in a variety of roles as director, vice president and senior vice president. His portfolio at the airline included commercial alliances and joint ventures, international and regulatory affairs, and strategic counsel to the chairman and chief executive officer on international matters. Whitaker served as Group CEO of InterGlobe Enterprises. There, he oversaw strategy and operations for four affiliate travel companies. Whitaker served as deputy administrator at the Federal Aviation Administration from 2013 to 2016. There, he collaborated with industry and government to drive the transition of the nation’s air traffic control system from radar to a satellite-enabled surveillance technology (ADS-B). After leaving the FAA, he served as principal of the aviation consultancy Whitaker Air Space from 2016 to 2020. From 2020 to 2023, he served as the chief operating officer of
Supernal Hyundai Motor Company, often referred to as Hyundai Motors, ( ) and commonly known as Hyundai (), is a South Korean multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, which was founded in 1967. Currently, the company ow ...
, a Hyundai Motor Group company designing an electric advanced air mobility (AAM) vehicle. Whitaker is a private pilot. He serves on the board of the
Flight Safety Foundation The Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) is a non-profit, international organization concerning research, education, advocacy, and communications in the field of aviation safety. FSF brings together aviation professionals to help solve safety problem ...
. On September 7, 2023, U.S. president
Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
nominated him to serve as the administrator of the FAA. On October 24, 2023, the
United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...
confirmed his nomination by a 98–0 vote. Whitaker was sworn in by Secretary
Pete Buttigieg Peter Paul Montgomery Buttigieg ( ; born January 19, 1982) is an American politician and former naval officer who served as the 19th United States Secretary of Transportation, United States secretary of transportation from 2021 to 2025. A me ...
on October 27, 2023. On January 20, 2025, he resigned as FAA administrator after announcing his intention to resign in December 2024.


References

1961 births Living people 21st-century American businesspeople 21st-century American lawyers Administrators of the Federal Aviation Administration American chief operating officers Biden administration personnel Georgetown University Law Center alumni Trans World Airlines people United Airlines people {{US-gov-bio-stub