Chris Whittle

H. Christopher "Chris" Whittle (born August 23, 1947) is an American entrepreneur best known as the founder and CEO of Edison Schools, Inc..

Early life and former career activities

Whittle was born in Etowah, Tennessee. After graduating from the University of Tennessee with a major in American Studies, Whittle started the magazine Knoxville in a Nutshell with Phillip Moffitt and others. Later they founded the 13-30 Corporation in Knoxville. In 1979 13-30 bought Esquire magazine. Later he established Whittle Communications, which developed a specialty of creating and publishing single-advertiser magazines that were placed in medical office waiting rooms. He initiated Channel One News in 1989 and sold the company in 1994.

Edison Schools

Whittle is the founder and current Chairman of Edison Schools, a private company established in 1992 to manage public schools. Edison's stock was publicly traded on the NASDAQ for four years. After reaching a high of close to USD$40 per share in early 2001, shares fell as low as 14 cents. The company was taken private in 2003, in a buyout which valued the company at $180 million ^[1] or $1.76 per share^[2].

Personal life

He is married to Priscilla dei conti Rattazzi, daughter of Urbano dei conti Rattazzi and Susanna Agnelli. They have two daughters, Andrea and Sasha.^[3]

Further reading

• Trimble, Vance H. An Empire Undone: The Wild Rise and Hard Fall of Chris Whittle, 1995. ISBN 978-1559723091

References

External links

• National Public Radio profile: Christopher Whittle, June 28, 2000
• Interview: Chris Whittle, PBS Frontline, July 3, 2003
• Biography at Edison Schools, March 11, 2008