Rising community leader Whitney Lucas has been behind-the-scenes making a huge impact in the Pensacola community for decades. As the General Manager of Gilmore Inc., and the Vice President of the Escambia County Sheriff Foundation, Whitney has been encouraging community engagement, supporting law enforcement, and growing local business in a major way. Born and raised in Pensacola, Whitney graduated from the University of West Florida in 2009 and went on to hold the position of Chief Financial Officer for Escambia County’s Corrections Department. The communication, planning and team building skills honed during her time with Escambia County helped her become a trusted leader at Gilmore, building up her team in order to create an atmosphere of cohesion and clarity that extends to customers.
Whitney first began her career working as a Practice Manager for The Spinal Center. There, she started at the bottom, and her hard work and diligent efforts allowed her to work her way up the chain of command to the role of Practice Manager. Whitney stayed in this role for about 6 years, and then briefly worked at the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office for about six months as an Accounting Associate. Soon after, Whitney became the Chief Financial Officer for the Escambia County Corrections Department.
Whitney came to work in corrections to pursue further career growth and development. She always liked the idea of helping a department be a good steward of taxpayer dollars, and in this role, she was able to manage a major budget of $55 million to ensure exactly that! After leading in this role for six years, Whitney then decided to make the transition to the private sector, where she is the current General Manager for Gilmore.
Gilmore approached Whitney in May of 2019 about taking on this leadership role, and she engaged in a frank conversation about what she was looking for in a long-term career position. Whitney sought a job where she would be more involved in community initiates, that she was passionate about, and she also wanted to help with Chip Simmons’ campaign for Escambia County Sheriff. Whitney became an integral part of the Chip Simmons for Sheriff campaign team. She had many discussions with Gilmore about how the business community could better support our law enforcement officers, and the two felt that this match was a perfect fit!
As General Manager, Whitney is not only responsible for the management, planning and directing of Gilmore’s daily operations, but she is also responsible for developing and implementing the company’s strategic plan for future growth and expansion. This plan includes the company’s most recent “brand refresh.” Having the opportunity to assist a company that has such deep local roots through forward thinking initiatives was paramount to Whitney’s career goals.
Whitney chose to stay in Pensacola and begin what would be an impressive career here on the Gulf Coast, as her family and her husband’s family are also from here. She and her husband felt it was important to be able to raise their kids around their families. Once she really entered the professional workforce, she quickly realized that Pensacola possesses a level of care and concern for neighbors unlike any other community. To be able to raise her kids in a community where she could truly leave her mark would be wonderful.
Whitney is proud to be a part of Gilmore’s growth and expansion while maintaining a people-centered and community-focused outlook. Assisting a company with deep local roots to achieve growth through innovation and change management has been rewarding for her. She continues to be involved in the local community, serving as the Vice President of the Escambia County Sheriff Foundation, of which she is also a founding member. She was also honored by InWeekly as a 2021 Rising Star, by The Pulse as one of 2022’s “Women to Know,” and is a 2019 graduate of Leadership Pensacola. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the natural beauty of the local area with her husband and two young daughters. Any time her family can get outside and enjoy the weather with fishing, boating, or kayaking- she jumps at the opportunity!
Through Gilmore, Whitney also helps lead the company’s “Free Shred” events in conjunction with the BBB. and partners with the Council on Aging for the “Senior Chill Out” every year. Gilmore is also a Gulf Coast Kid’s House VIP donor, and supports numerous Chamber events throughout the year and the region, all the way from Fort Walton Beach to Dothan, Alabama.
On Sept 9th, Gilmore is proudly serving as the title sponsor for the Greater Pensacola Chamber’s First Responder Appreciation Lunch, which will be held at the Chamber office.
Whitney is looking forward to accomplishing ever more in the Escambia County community in the years to come. She is currently working on a signature annual event for the Sheriff Foundation, of which details will be related in August. Whitney is looking to lead the Sheriff Foundation in continuing to push opportunities for positive engagement between law enforcement and the communities they serve. She also plans to lead Gilmore in continuing their trajectory of being a people-centered and community-focused organization, by capitalizing on all the wonderful opportunities that Pensacola has to give back.
Whitney thrives on the opportunity to give back to a community that has given so much to her. “I love being a part of something bigger than myself. I want to contribute in any way I can to making Escambia County a better place not just for my kids, but for the community as a whole.”
“I hope to look back and feel like I had an impact in making Escambia County the very best place to live and work.”
You can follow and support Whitney Lucas by following her and her endeavors at:
Facebook @GilmoreServices
Facebook @ECSheriffFoundation
Facebook @Whitney.C.Lucas
And also checking out www.escambiacsf.com and www.gilmoreservices.com
