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'''Vincent John Whibbs, Sr.''' ([[1920]]-[[2006]]) was an influential and respected a [[mayor of Pensacola]], businessman and civic leader.

Whibbs was elected to the [[Pensacola City Council ]] in [[1976 ]] and served as Mayor of Pensacola for seven consecutive terms from [[1977 ]] to [[1991]], making him the longest serving mayor in Pensacola's history. Under his leadership a new [[Pensacola City Hall|City Hall]] and [[Pensacola Police Headquarters|police headquarters ]] were constructed, [[Pensacola Regional Airport]] was expanded and [[downtown Pensacola]] began a redevelopment and resurgence. Upon retirement, Whibbs was formally recognized as Mayor Emeritus of the City of Pensacola, and then-Congressman [[Earl Hutto]] made a tribute to him before the U.S. Congress: "We will not forget your accomplishments and we will continue to revere you as our city's premier citizen. We share in your excitement about the days ahead. With all our love and respect, we say thank you, Mayor Whibbs. May God continue to bless you."

A native of Buffalo, N.Y.NY, Whibbs joined the Pontiac Motor Division of General Motors in 1940 while attending the University of Buffalo. During World War II he served as a fighter pilot and flight instructor with the U.S. Army Air Corps. He returned to the Pontiac Motor Division in 1946 and became a zone manager before resigning in 1958 to open [[Vince Whibbs Pontiac]] in Pensacola, Fla. Today the dealership is the Pensacola area dealer for Cadillac, Buick, Pontiac, GMC Truck and Saab. He was also the founder of Pacific Motor Co., a General Motors dealership in Taipei, Taiwan. Whibbs served as chairman of the board of [[AmSouth Banks Bank]]s of Florida and as a director of AmSouth Bank Corp. He also served on the board of directors of the [[Southern Company]], Georgia Power Co. Company and [[Gulf PowerCompany]] Co.

Whibbs will be forever is known for his commitment to public service and to his the community. He served on the Board of Directors of the [[Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce]], the [[Navy League]], [[United Way of Escambia County]] and the [[Fiesta of Five Flags]]. He served as , in which he was Don Tristan DeLuna in [[1986]]. He was on the board of trustees and served as vice president of the [[Naval Aviation Museum Foundation]] and was past president of the Pensacola Area Chamber of Commerce, [[Suburban Rotary Club]], the [[Gulf Coast Council of the Boy Scouts of America]] and [[Junior Achievement]]. He was past chairman of the [[Sacred Heart Hospital Board]]. An honorary member of the [[U.S. Navy Blue Angels]], Whibbs was the recipient of the Florida Bar Association Liberty Bell Award, was the [[Civitan Club]]'s Citizen of the Year, was awarded the Silver Antelope for service to Scouting and was a [[Rotary Paul Harris Fellow]]. The Secretary of the Navy honored Whibbs with the Navy Superior Service Medal for his service to the Navy community.

A former member of the boards of trustees of [[Pensacola Junior College ]] and the [[University of West Florida]], Whibbs was awarded an honorary doctorate by UWF for his many years of public service. A devoted and founding member of [[St. Paul's Catholic Church]], Whibbs was appointed by Pope John Paul II as a Knight of St. Gregory in [[1995]]. In the final months of his life, he became a passionate advocate for the [[Community Maritime Park]] project, occupying the third principal position in the [[Community Maritime Park Associates]] group after the death of his friend, [[Vice Admiral Jack Fetterman]].

At age 86, Mayor Emeritus Whibbs passed away Tuesday, [[May 30]], [[2006 ]] at his Pensacola home.