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What do you do when everything falls apart — publicly, catastrophically, and on the front page of every major newspaper in America?
For Mark Whitacre, that was not a hypothetical question. It was his reality.
As a rising executive at Archer Daniels Midland — one of the largest agricultural corporations in the world — Mark had everything. A prestigious career. A PhD from Cornell University. A reputation built on brilliance, ambition, and results. He was recruited at just 32 years old to serve as President of ADM's Biotech Division, one of the most coveted positions in corporate America.
And then it all unraveled.
Mark became the longest-running FBI informant in history — secretly cooperating with federal agents for nine years in one of the most complex and far-reaching corporate espionage cases the United States had ever seen. If that name sounds familiar, it's because his story became the basis for the Hollywood film The Informant, starring Matt Damon.
What followed was a federal conviction. A prison sentence. A very public fall from grace.
But what happened next is the part of the story that most people never hear.
In this episode of GRASP Confidence, Mark Whitacre sits down with Tara LaFon Gooch to share the full journey — from the height of corporate power to federal prison, and from the darkest season of his life to a complete transformation rooted in faith, redemption, and purpose.
Today Mark serves as Vice President of Culture and Care and Executive Director of the t-factor initiative at Coca-Cola Consolidated — a publicly traded, faith-driven company whose official purpose statement is to honor God in all they do, serve others, pursue excellence, and grow profitably. He has spent the last twenty years deeply embedded in the Faith at Work movement, helping organizations build cultures where people, purpose, and profit align.
In this episode, we talk about:
→ What it was really like to live a double life as a corporate executive and FBI informant
→ The moment everything collapsed and what Mark held onto when it did
→ How faith became the foundation of his rebuilding process
→ What genuine redemption looks like in the workplace
→ How Coca-Cola Consolidated has built a faith-friendly culture inside a publicly traded company
→ What the Faith at Work movement means for leaders navigating today's business landscape
→ The t-factor initiative and why trust is the most undervalued currency in any organization
→ What Mark would tell his younger self and what he wants every leader to know
This episode is for you if:
You have ever felt like your worst moment was going to define you forever. You have ever wondered whether God could use a broken season for something greater. You are a leader who wants to build a career — and a life — that means something beyond the bottom line.
Mark Whitacre is proof that God does not waste a single chapter of your story.
Not even the ones you wish you could rewrite.
"To honor God in all we do, to serve others, to pursue excellence, and to grow profitably."
— Coca-Cola Consolidated Official Purpose Statement
About Mark Whitacre: Mark Whitacre holds a PhD in biochemistry from Cornell University and a BS and MS from Ohio State University. He has served as an executive for Fortune 500 companies including Ralston Purina, Degussa, and Archer Daniels Midland. He lived and worked internationally in Germany for four years. He has served as National Director and COO of Christian Business Men's Connection and COO and Chief Science Officer of Cypress Systems, Inc. He has been married to his wife Ginger for 47 years and has three adult children.
Support Mark's Book and learn more about t-factor and how they have transformed the culture at Coca-Cola Consolidated.
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What does GRASP stand for?
Gratitude. Responsibility. Action. Sight. Purpose.
These five pillars are the foundation of authentic, confident leadership — and every episode is designed to help you embody them more fully in your life, business, and calling.
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