Meet John Whalen: Your Candidate for Congress

The first of four siblings born to John and Theresa Whalen of Wilmington, Delaware, I grew up in the suburbs of Wilmington where I attended various Catholic and public schools, graduating from Thomas McKean H.S. in 1972. I enrolled at the University of Delaware the same year, where I studied political science and history. In 1980 I went back to school, enrolling at Delaware Technical & Community College where I studied criminal justice.

Having obtained my working papers at the age of 15, I went to work at J.C. Penney Co. at Prices Corner. Having left the Penney Co. in 1974, I took a job with a men's clothing chain as a store manager, and later as district manager for the state of Delaware. In 1976, having stores from New York to Florida, the company closed it's doors due to a depressed economy. Still going to the university and needing to work, I took a job at a men's clothing store across town and a part-time job teaching in a GED program at Wilmington H.S. I would later take employment with a new car dealership where I remained until the fall of 1977.

On October 10, 1977, I was appointed to the Delaware Department of Public Safety, Division of State Police, where I served for twenty years, retiring in October 1997. During my career I served in patrol, both as a road trooper and shift supervisor. I served in the K-9-unit, burglary unit, robbery squad, major crimes, M.C.S.A.P., and the F.B.I. joint violent crimes fugitive task force. Shortly after retiring, I formed a residential construction company, building houses and additions throughout Sussex County for more than twenty-two years. I am currently retired.

I am married to Valerie Leigh, a nurse, currently employed at Peninsula Tidal Health Hospital for more than forty years. We have three adult sons, John, Matthew, and Mark, and six grandchildren. My wife and I currently reside in Millsboro, Delaware.