Chicago Medical Center, "Eric Whitaker, MD, Named Executive Vice President For Strategic Affiliations And Associate Dean For Community-Based Research At The University Of Chicago Medical Center," Press Release, 9/17/07
Whitaker Is Executive Vice President For Strategic Affiliations And Associate Dean For Community-Based Research At The University Of Chicago Medical Center Since October 2007. "Eric E. Whitaker, MD, MPH, a nationally recognized public health authority, expert on minority health issues and, in his own words, 'country doc' for some of the city's poorest communities, has been appointed Executive Vice President for Strategic Affiliations and Associate Dean for Community-Based Research, a new position at the University of Chicago Medical Center, effective October 1, 2007." (The University Of Chicago Medical Center Web site, www.uchospitals.edu, Accessed 8/5/08)
Whitaker Served As Director Of The Illinois Department Of Public Health From 2003-2007. "Whitaker, 42, comes to the Medical Center from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), where he has served as Director since 2003--overseeing 3 state labs, 7 regional offices, 200 programs, 1,200 employees and a $420 million budget." (The University Of Chicago Medical Center Web site, www.uchospitals.edu, Accessed 8/5/08)
Whitaker Is Founder And Director Of Project Brotherhood, A Program Formed To Improve The Health Of African – American Men. (The University Of Chicago Medical Center Web site, www.uchospitals.edu, Accessed 8/5/08)
"Whitaker Served As Director Of The Illinois Department Of Public Health After Obama Recommended Him For The Post Through Obama's Friend Tony Rezko, Who Was Advising Gov. Blagojevich On Whom To Hire For Top State Posts." (Abdon M. Pallasch, "Obama's Day Off," Chicago Sun-Times, 6/30/08)
Obama Has Known Whitaker Since His Days At Harvard University. "[Obama] wrapped up the day with a barbecue at the South Shore home of his friend Dr. Eric Whitaker, whom he has known since his Harvard days." (Abdon M. Pallasch, "Obama's Day Off," Chicago Sun-Times, 6/30/08)
Whitaker Has Served As A Traveling Companion And Adviser To Obama. "Also aboard are Valerie Jarrett, a close family friend and adviser, and Dr. Eric Whitaker, a longtime friend Obama has known since Harvard." (John McCormick, "Obama Hits The Rails," Chicago Tribune's "The Swamp" Blog, www.swamppolitics.com, 4/19/08)
Whitaker Has Contributed At Least $6,250 To Barack Obama. (CQ Money Line Web site, moneyline.cq.com, Accessed 8/5/08)
Obama: "So, I think we submitted just a list of people that were mostly, you know, some of them were people who'd sent us resumes in the past or other people we thought we might be interested but they weren't people who were connected to our political organization in any meaningful way. Or they weren't people I knew particularly well. The one exception I do remember talking to Tony about was Dr. Eric Whitaker, who was a longtime friend of mine from Harvard. He and I played basketball together when he was getting his masters in public health at Harvard, while was at law school there. He had expressed an interest in that job. He did contact me, or Tony contacted me, and I gave him a glowing recommendation because I thought he was outstanding." (Sen. Barack Obama, Interview With Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board, 3/15/08)