Private sector In 1886, Whitmarsh began working for his uncle Francis Howard Leggett (1840–1909), who was a prominent wholesale grocer and the owner of
Francis H. Leggett & Co. In 1896, he became a member of the firm. In 1902, he became the vice president and treasurer of the firm. After the death of his uncle in 1909, Whitmarsh assumed control of the business as president. Other business holdings of Whitmarsh included serving as president and treasurer of the Seacoast Canning Company and as treasurer of the
American Can Company. Whitmarsh was the member of corporate boards including the
Irving National Bank, Irving Trust Company,
Famous Players–Lasky,
Greenwich Savings Bank, Audley Clarke Company, Straclar Holding Corporation,
New York Mercantile Exchange, and the
United States Chamber of Commerce. From 1915 to 1918, Whitmarsh was the president of the National Wholesale Grocers Association of the United States. Whitmarsh was also the chairman and a longtime fundraiser for the
United Hospital Fund, raising for the organization in 1929 and over in 1932. Whitmarsh was also a close acquaintance of
Swami Vivekananda, and drew up a trust fund for handling the administration and proceeds from his book sales.
Public service A
Republican, Whitmarsh was active in New York politics. In June 1917, Whitmarsh was appointed as the chief of the Distribution Division of the newly formed United States Food Administration. In the role, he served as special assistant to
Herbert Hoover, who was then serving as the director of the agency. While in the role, Whitmarsh was a member of the
War Industries Board, the Priorities Committee, the Requirements Committee, and the Belgian Relief Committee. He was also the vice president, treasurer, and a board member of the U.S.
Sugar Equalization Board. In 1917, Whitmarsh was described as the person who is "seeing that the whole country gets a square deal on passing around the food." President
Woodrow Wilson appointed Whitmarsh as acting administrator of the agency in Hoover's absence. In 1919, Whitmarsh served as U.S. joint director of the American Relief Administration. That summer, Whitmarsh spent two months in Europe working on post-war food provision issues. In 1923, Whitmarsh was elected as a Class B director of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Whitmarsh served in the role from 1924 until 1932. == Awards and honors ==