Today, we meet the world’s best fighter pilot, who’s also a lawyer, General Mike Wholley. The journey to being a fighter pilot, a Vietnam war veteran, then becoming General Counsel at NASA is winding, as one might expect. But the briefest of conversations with Mike begin to shed light on how that might have been possible. One way: a strict eye for what’s important. As Mike and his dad would say: if everything’s important, nothing’s important.
For Mike, he finds foundational importance in his family, quickly attributing his professional success to the support of his lovely bride and the encouragement of his children. From Harvard as an ROTC brat in undergrad, to UVA law school, Mike’s career is a testament to dedication, sacrifice, alignment, and public service.
Retired since 2014, Mike jokes that, at this point, he’s simply a senior citizen living on a fixed income. But his life suggests he’s way more than that, having the privilege of seeing more, and doing more, than the average person. 30 minutes is likely not enough time, but that’s all we have. So let’s get started. Welcome to the human lawyer podcast, Mike (or as others affectionately call him “the General”).
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 33:18 — 45.7MB)
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS | More