Background
He was born in 1914 in Chicago, a son of Leona and William Francis Whitman, Senior
He was born in 1914 in Chicago, a son of Leona and William Francis Whitman, Senior
His father owned a printing company in Chicago and later developed real estate in Miami, Florida. He sailed to Tahiti, and was fascinated by the tropical fruits. He founded the Rare Fruit Council International, based in Miami, and was its first president, from 1955 to 1960.
He introduced to Florida the Kohala longan.
He was also inducted into the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame in 1998. William got his degree from the University of Florida in administration.