“Jim is well-respected among his peers, public policy makers and public officials in the city and state,” says John Banks. “I applaud him for his tireless dedication and efforts to address the vital city and state issues that impact our real estate community.”

“Jim is a highly effective advocate and driving force behind public policy initiatives to support the interests and growth of the real estate industry,” adds outgoing REBNY president Steven Spinola. “It has been a great honor to work with him and I am confident that he will continue to play a crucial role in building upon our success in creating more opportunities for growth in our industry.”

Prior to joining REBNY, Whelan served as SVP for public affairs at Muss Development, where he oversaw governmental, political and community relations while managing several development projects.

Previously, Whelan served as chief of staff and senior advisor for the NYC Deputy Mayor for economic development, Daniel Doctoroff, from late 2005 through 2007. Among his accomplishments in this role, Whelan initiated strategies to secure ULURP approval for Willets Point and Coney Island; he managed the administration's day-to-day economic development activities—including executing Mayor Bloomberg's vision for a resurgent Lower Manhattan and PlanNYC, a sustainability program.

Before that, Whelan served as the executive director of the Hudson Yards Coalition, an economic development advocacy organization that sought the implementation of the Hudson Yards plan on Manhattan's Far West Side, including the legislative approval of the largest rezoning in the City's history.

In 1999, Whelan created the economic development advocacy organization the Downtown Brooklyn Council, served as its first executive director and oversaw the creation of the Downtown Brooklyn plan, a redevelopment strategy for Downtown Brooklyn that has resulted in $300 million in public investment and generated almost $4 billion in private investment since 2006.