Will Whitley

Will Whitley – currently serves as the Director of State, Local Government Affairs & Community Relations for Michelin North America. In this role, Mr. Whitley is the liaison for Michelin’s state and local government affairs activity, while encouraging employee involvement where Michelin can have the greatest impact in the areas of education and workforce development, protecting the environment and boosting local economic growth. As an active member in the business community, Whitley collaborates with a variety of organizations throughout the country and across the state of South Carolina focusing on a broad range of critical issues such as advanced manufacturing, economic mobility and diversity, equity and inclusion. Mr. Whitley started his Michelin career in 2008, working in various engineering, maintenance and other technical leadership positions, before transitioning into the Corporate Recruiting Department, where he served as a Senior Corporate Recruiter and was responsible for identifying candidates for key strategic positions throughout the company. Before joining Michelin, he worked in various leadership positions in the manufacturing sector for several different companies including DuPont, Agfa, and Sealed Air Corporation. Previous roles included production management, design engineering, capital project management, and engineering management.  Mr. Whitley is a graduate of North Carolina A&T State University and has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.  Mr. Whitley currently serves on the board for a number of organizations, including State Chambers of Oklahoma and South Carolina, County Chambers of Greater Greenville and Anderson County, and the South Carolina Manufacturing Alliance. He is a graduate of the Riley Institute of Diversity Leaders Initiative of Furman University and previously served on the YMCA of Greenville Advisory Board and the Golden Strip Emergency Relief Advisory Board.