Mayor Emeritus Vince Whibbs, Sr. passed away on May 30, 2006, shortly after being named to the Community Maritime Park Associates board. He replaced Adm. Jack Fetterman who died two months earlier. The park is named for him.
Whiibs served as mayor from 1977 to 1991, making him the longest-serving mayor in Pensacola’s history.
He was past president of the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce, Suburban Rotary Club, Gulf Coast Council of the Boy Scouts of America and Junior Achievement. He was past chairman of the boards of Sacred Heart Hospital Board and AnSouth Banks of Florida. An honorary member of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, Whibbs was the recipient of the Florida Bar Association Liberty Bell Award, the Civitan Club’s Citizen of the Year, and Silver Antelope for service to Scouting The Secretary of the Navy honored Whibbs with the Navy Superior Service Medal for his service to the Navy community
He was famous for the greeting he used to open many events:
“Welcome you to Pensacola, the western gate to the Sunshine State, where thousands live the way millions wish they could, where the warmth of our community comes not only from God’s good sunshine, but from the hearts of the people who live here. Welcome to Pensacola, America’s first place city and the place where America began.”
Quint Studer and I discussed his impact on our city and us on “Real News with Rick Outzen.”
