May 22, 2018

All employees are invited to a retirement reception for James Whitley Jr., executive director, Corporate Security, Thursday, May 31, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Akron General Office Lower Level Auditorium. If you’d like to send cards, notes and photos for a memory album please do so by Friday, May 25 to Tamara Hearn (A-GO-1).

Steady Command at FirstEnergy

James joined our company in 2003 as manager, Corporate Security, advanced to director, Corporate Security in 2007 and in 2009, to director, Corporate Security & Information Technology Compliance. He was named director, Corporate Security in 2011 and to executive director, Corporate Security in 2012.

Prior to joining FirstEnergy, James served a military policeman in the U.S. Air Force; as commander of the Cleveland Heights Police Department; and as chief of park police for Cleveland Metroparks.

He earned a master’s degree in business administration from Baldwin Wallace University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland.

Under his leadership, our company has been recognized for our security infrastructure, including Security magazine’s Security 500 list in November 2011 and in 2015. Also, in a 2013 peer review by the North American Transmission Forum of our system operations and governance in Akron and Fairmont, our cyber and physical security and other aspects were deemed some of the industry’s best. James has been featured in Who’s Who in Black Cleveland.