Sheldon Baker11.01.12
Mark Whitacre is an Ivy League PhD and the highest-ranked executive of any Fortune 500 company to become a whistleblower in U.S. history. He is responsible for uncovering the ADM price-fixing scandal in the early 1990s. He holds the position of chief operating officer and resident of operations at Cypress Systems, Inc., Fresno, CA. His undercover work with the FBI during the ADM scandal was the inspiration for the major motion picture, The Informant, starring Matt Damon as Mark Whitacre. Drawing from his unique history, Mr. Whitacre provides one-of-a-kind insight into corporate ethics, corporate greed and the warning signs of a flawed corporate leadership.
Health E-Insights: What’s it really like being undercover for the FBI? Any Hollywood movie similarities?
Mr. Whitacre: Being undercover for the FBI was indeed a very unique experience. I am the highest-level executive in U.S. history to ever become a whistleblower. In addition, I was undercover the longest time period of any FBI informant, where I wore a wire every day for almost three years. I would meet the FBI at 6 a.m. every morning where they would shave my chest in order to tape the microphones, and then again meet the FBI twice per week from 6 p.m. to midnight to turn over the tapes and for debriefings. I have never seen a movie to depict what it was really like working undercover. It was a very stressful period. If I had to choose a movie that best describes undercover experiences, probably the most accurate portrayal of how my wife and I really felt during the undercover years was the fear that was portrayed in the movie, The Firm. I feel, and the FBI does to, that the Discovery Channel documentary about the ADM case was a more accurate portrayal of what happened in the case than the movie.
Health E-Insights: Is it true what they say, if you can’t afford the time, don’t do the crime?
Mr. Whitacre: Very true. I made some horrific decisions and broke some serious federal laws. In fact, ego and greed were behind many of these poorly made decisions. These were decisions of my own making. When trying to win so hard that truth and ethics do not matter anymore, then one is in a bad place in his or her life. That is exactly where I was in the early and mid-1990s, when I was in my early 30s. I deserved the punishment that I received, and I have fully accepted that.
Health E-Insights: You’re now considered one of the leading experts in selenium research. What’s on the horizon?
Mr. Whitacre: Selenium research is getting very exciting! The focus of current research is showing differences between various selenium forms. For example, a research study published by the Penn State Cancer Research Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania in January showed five key protein biomarkers, that are important indicators of carcinogenesis, had much more positive levels in SelenoExcell high selenium yeast as compared to regular yeast. Further work is now ongoing to determine if this is the case in human clinical studies. More and more research is illustrating that selenium form makes a difference and that SelenoExcell is the most effective form biologically. Overall, I think the best is yet to come when it comes to selenium research, and that the next three years will be very exciting.
Health E-Insights: Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Mr. Whitacre: I consider Chuck Colson to be a historical figure. He passed away at age 80 this past April. Chuck went to prison decades ago for some Watergate scandal crimes when he was special White House counsel for President Nixon. He reached out to me when I entered prison and he became a mentor and a good friend. I feel strongly that he is a man who really changed his life during and after prison and he really made a difference around the world after his prison release in the mid-1970s.
Health E-Insights: If you could change one thing about yourself,what would it be?
Mr. Whitacre: I wish I had more patience. I always feel that projects take much longer than I would like. I have never had much patience. I wish that there was a supplement for that issue. It would be a best-seller.
Health E-Insights: As the years have passed, any regrets about your whistle-blowing experience?
Mr. Whitacre: I have no regrets on blowing the whistle. I do regret making the mistakes that I made during my undercover tenure. My family paid dearly for those mistakes. I became a whistleblower and an informant because my wife, Ginger, insisted I come forward and report what I knew. Though she did not understand exactly how price fixing worked, she inherently knew it was very wrong. In November 1992, two decades ago, Ginger forced my hand. She decided firmly that she would tell the FBI what she knew, even if I couldn’t. She was the sole reason I opened up to the FBI—Ginger is the real whistleblower of this case, not I. It is amazing that my marriage not only survived, but actually thrived, especially with the divorce rate being 99% for people whom serve five years and longer in prison. My wife and I have been together since junior high school, and we have been married over 33 years. She is my greatest blessing. My second greatest blessing is Paul Willis of Cypress Systems who gave me a second chance back into the industry. Paul hired me the day after my prison release six years ago in 2006. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him and I will never forget the chance he gave to me.
Health E-Insights: Did the movie The Informant benefit your business life?
Mr. Whitacre: In the short term, it has had no effect. However, it has opened some doors that probably would not have been opened otherwise. For example, I was a keynote speaker at Expo West a few years ago, and I will be the keynote speaker at IFT Chicago in January. Both of these are examples of where the movie created a high profile platform about business ethics where I can also talk about what I am doing now at Cypress and with SelenoExcell high selenium yeast research. I am very blessed to have a second chance and I am living proof that America is indeed a country where second chances really do exist. I have been fully accepted back into the industry. I am very fortunate.
Health E-Insights: What’s your proudest career achievement?
Mr. Whitacre: I think building the largest fermentation plant in the world from scratch during my seven years at ADM was my proudest career achievement. However, it was overshadowed in the media with the price fixing scandal, and the entire focus publicly became my undercover FBI role and the price fixing case. The BioProducts division was an investment of over $1 billion dollars (producing multiple products) and became a very profitable division of ADM.
Health E-Insights: What do you consider to be your greatest virtue?
Mr. Whitacre: I made many mistakes in my life, and my mistakes at ADM were my biggest, and certainly the most public. However, I think my greatest virtue is feeling that all people have something positive to offer. I see something positive in everyone I meet. I always see every person I meet as the glass is half full, not half empty. I am a very positive person in general, which is not always the case for someone who spent over eight years in prison. Many ex-offenders, if not most, become bitter instead of better.
Health E-Insights: Is there one message to the industry that you would want out there?
Mr. Whitacre: No one is above the law, no matter how successful, no matter how wealthy, and no matter how educated. At one time in my life, and at a very young age, I had the world within easy reach. But poor, unethical decision-making changed my life forever. My hope is to guard others from the same ill fate with my story. It is important to always do the right thing. Looking back, there was a green lamp that recorded the videotapes for the FBI (basically recordings of the illegal meetings that occurred with the price fixing). I always tell young people to live their lives like the green lamp is always with them.
Editor’s Note:
Here’s a link to a news clip of the FBI's opinion of Whitacre’s undercover role and also their opinion of the movie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka4U24x4_Bk
Sheldon Baker is well known for creating nutraceutical brand marketing and public relations campaigns. For Health E-Insights interview consideration, contact him at Baker@CentralValleyTalk.com. And follow him on Twitter @NutraInk.
Health E-Insights: What’s it really like being undercover for the FBI? Any Hollywood movie similarities?
Mr. Whitacre: Being undercover for the FBI was indeed a very unique experience. I am the highest-level executive in U.S. history to ever become a whistleblower. In addition, I was undercover the longest time period of any FBI informant, where I wore a wire every day for almost three years. I would meet the FBI at 6 a.m. every morning where they would shave my chest in order to tape the microphones, and then again meet the FBI twice per week from 6 p.m. to midnight to turn over the tapes and for debriefings. I have never seen a movie to depict what it was really like working undercover. It was a very stressful period. If I had to choose a movie that best describes undercover experiences, probably the most accurate portrayal of how my wife and I really felt during the undercover years was the fear that was portrayed in the movie, The Firm. I feel, and the FBI does to, that the Discovery Channel documentary about the ADM case was a more accurate portrayal of what happened in the case than the movie.
Health E-Insights: Is it true what they say, if you can’t afford the time, don’t do the crime?
Mr. Whitacre: Very true. I made some horrific decisions and broke some serious federal laws. In fact, ego and greed were behind many of these poorly made decisions. These were decisions of my own making. When trying to win so hard that truth and ethics do not matter anymore, then one is in a bad place in his or her life. That is exactly where I was in the early and mid-1990s, when I was in my early 30s. I deserved the punishment that I received, and I have fully accepted that.
Health E-Insights: You’re now considered one of the leading experts in selenium research. What’s on the horizon?
Mr. Whitacre: Selenium research is getting very exciting! The focus of current research is showing differences between various selenium forms. For example, a research study published by the Penn State Cancer Research Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania in January showed five key protein biomarkers, that are important indicators of carcinogenesis, had much more positive levels in SelenoExcell high selenium yeast as compared to regular yeast. Further work is now ongoing to determine if this is the case in human clinical studies. More and more research is illustrating that selenium form makes a difference and that SelenoExcell is the most effective form biologically. Overall, I think the best is yet to come when it comes to selenium research, and that the next three years will be very exciting.
Health E-Insights: Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Mr. Whitacre: I consider Chuck Colson to be a historical figure. He passed away at age 80 this past April. Chuck went to prison decades ago for some Watergate scandal crimes when he was special White House counsel for President Nixon. He reached out to me when I entered prison and he became a mentor and a good friend. I feel strongly that he is a man who really changed his life during and after prison and he really made a difference around the world after his prison release in the mid-1970s.
Health E-Insights: If you could change one thing about yourself,what would it be?
Mr. Whitacre: I wish I had more patience. I always feel that projects take much longer than I would like. I have never had much patience. I wish that there was a supplement for that issue. It would be a best-seller.
Health E-Insights: As the years have passed, any regrets about your whistle-blowing experience?
Mr. Whitacre: I have no regrets on blowing the whistle. I do regret making the mistakes that I made during my undercover tenure. My family paid dearly for those mistakes. I became a whistleblower and an informant because my wife, Ginger, insisted I come forward and report what I knew. Though she did not understand exactly how price fixing worked, she inherently knew it was very wrong. In November 1992, two decades ago, Ginger forced my hand. She decided firmly that she would tell the FBI what she knew, even if I couldn’t. She was the sole reason I opened up to the FBI—Ginger is the real whistleblower of this case, not I. It is amazing that my marriage not only survived, but actually thrived, especially with the divorce rate being 99% for people whom serve five years and longer in prison. My wife and I have been together since junior high school, and we have been married over 33 years. She is my greatest blessing. My second greatest blessing is Paul Willis of Cypress Systems who gave me a second chance back into the industry. Paul hired me the day after my prison release six years ago in 2006. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him and I will never forget the chance he gave to me.
Health E-Insights: Did the movie The Informant benefit your business life?
Mr. Whitacre: In the short term, it has had no effect. However, it has opened some doors that probably would not have been opened otherwise. For example, I was a keynote speaker at Expo West a few years ago, and I will be the keynote speaker at IFT Chicago in January. Both of these are examples of where the movie created a high profile platform about business ethics where I can also talk about what I am doing now at Cypress and with SelenoExcell high selenium yeast research. I am very blessed to have a second chance and I am living proof that America is indeed a country where second chances really do exist. I have been fully accepted back into the industry. I am very fortunate.
Health E-Insights: What’s your proudest career achievement?
Mr. Whitacre: I think building the largest fermentation plant in the world from scratch during my seven years at ADM was my proudest career achievement. However, it was overshadowed in the media with the price fixing scandal, and the entire focus publicly became my undercover FBI role and the price fixing case. The BioProducts division was an investment of over $1 billion dollars (producing multiple products) and became a very profitable division of ADM.
Health E-Insights: What do you consider to be your greatest virtue?
Mr. Whitacre: I made many mistakes in my life, and my mistakes at ADM were my biggest, and certainly the most public. However, I think my greatest virtue is feeling that all people have something positive to offer. I see something positive in everyone I meet. I always see every person I meet as the glass is half full, not half empty. I am a very positive person in general, which is not always the case for someone who spent over eight years in prison. Many ex-offenders, if not most, become bitter instead of better.
Health E-Insights: Is there one message to the industry that you would want out there?
Mr. Whitacre: No one is above the law, no matter how successful, no matter how wealthy, and no matter how educated. At one time in my life, and at a very young age, I had the world within easy reach. But poor, unethical decision-making changed my life forever. My hope is to guard others from the same ill fate with my story. It is important to always do the right thing. Looking back, there was a green lamp that recorded the videotapes for the FBI (basically recordings of the illegal meetings that occurred with the price fixing). I always tell young people to live their lives like the green lamp is always with them.
Editor’s Note:
Here’s a link to a news clip of the FBI's opinion of Whitacre’s undercover role and also their opinion of the movie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka4U24x4_Bk
Sheldon Baker is well known for creating nutraceutical brand marketing and public relations campaigns. For Health E-Insights interview consideration, contact him at Baker@CentralValleyTalk.com. And follow him on Twitter @NutraInk.
