Whitlock had been associate
provost, dean of graduate studies, and dean of the college of business and computer science at
Southwest Baptist University in
Bolivar, Missouri. He joined the SBU administration in 1999, and also was a professor of business at the Missouri Baptist institution. Prior to his work at SBU, he taught for 14 years at
Southeastern Oklahoma State University. He was appointed to the Southeastern faculty in 1985 as an instructor of business. He was promoted to assistant professor in 1991 and associate professor in 1996. He was named chair of the university’s business information management program in 1995 and served in that role until moving to SBU. In addition to his academic work, Whitlock served as a bivocational co-pastor of Wellspring Baptist Fellowship in Bolivar, Missouri, from 1999 until his move to OBU in 2008. He was bivocational pastor of Silo Baptist Church in
Silo, Oklahoma, from 1996 to 1999, and Hendrix Baptist Church in
Hendrix, Oklahoma, from 1993 to 1994. He was licensed to preach by the First Baptist Church of
Durant and ordained at Hendrix Baptist Church. ==Retirement==