Senior Military Leader & Defense Strategy Expert; Major General, U.S. Army (Retired); President of Velontra Inc.
Craig B. Whelden Biography
Major General Craig B. Whelden, U.S. Army (Retired), is a senior military leader with extensive experience in defense leadership, homeland security, and military operations. Whelden began his leadership journey as an Eagle Scout at age 14 and later became the youngest general in the U.S. Army. Commissioned as a second lieutenant, he led soldiers at every level from lieutenant to general officer, serving 10 years in Europe and 12 years in the Pacific.
As an Armor and Cavalry officer, Whelden commanded a base in Germany as a colonel and, as a brigadier general, managed a $1.6 billion program supporting soldiers and family members worldwide. He was present at the Pentagon during the September 11 attacks and subsequently led efforts to secure Hawaii from terrorist threats, receiving national recognition for his work. After retiring from the Army, Whelden chaired a national conference on information sharing and homeland security for three years. His service includes nine years as a member of the Senior Executive Service with the U.S. Marine Corps, totaling more than 17 years at the highest levels of the U.S. military and leading thousands of soldiers, sailors, Marines, and civilians.
Whelden was recognized by the Secretary of the Army at the Association of the United States Army Convention with the two highest awards given to civilians for his leadership in a two-year project to reconnect America in support of its military. This initiative resulted in all 50 states and numerous local governments committing significant resources to programs benefiting military personnel. He has been inducted into the Purdue University ROTC Hall of Fame and has served as the commissioning speaker at Purdue.
Whelden is the author of "Leadership: The Art of Inspiring People to Be Their Best," which has received multiple national book awards and achieved international bestseller status. The book details his five decades of leadership and life lessons, including practical tools such as his "Philosophy of Command" and a self-reflection titled "Whelden on Whelden."
Whelden serves as president of Velontra Inc., an aerospace company specializing in hypersonic unmanned vehicles, and is a global keynote speaker. He addresses topics such as "A Consequential Life," "9/11: A Personal Account," "Evolution of the U.S. Military from Vietnam to Today," and "Implications of a Rising China." Drawing on his military and leadership experience, Whelden speaks to audiences ranging from Fortune 500 companies to military academies, focusing on leadership development, defense strategy, and organizational improvement.
Craig B. Whelden Speaking Topics
-
A Consequential Life
Craig B. Whelden spent more than 40 years in and around the military with 17 of those years as an Army General Officer or Marine Corps Senior Executive. Along the way, he picked up dozens of lessons on leadership and life—both good and bad. Hear him convey these in a compelling, inspirational, and sometimes very personal way.
-
The Evolving "Donroe” Doctrine
In January, American forces captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife, who now face justice in a New York City courtroom. Until a transition to a new government can occur, the U.S. will “run” the country. How will this evolve, and who might be next, given that more than half a dozen countries in the Western Hemisphere have been threatened with a similar fate? How will the American public respond, and what message does this send to the rest of the world?
Craig B. Whelden Videos
-
How do I book Craig B. Whelden to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Craig B. Whelden for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Craig B. Whelden, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Craig B. Whelden or any other speaker of your choice. -
What are the speaker fees for Craig B. Whelden
Speaking fees for Craig B. Whelden, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Craig B. Whelden are under $10,000 for live events and under $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Craig B. Whelden, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does Craig B. Whelden speak about?
Craig B. Whelden is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Author, Bestselling Authors, Business Leadership, Disruptive Thinking, Executive Leadership, Geopolitics, Government, History, Human Resources, Leadership, Military, Security & Defense, Strategic Leadership, Teamwork & Teambuilding, Thought Leadership, Veterans, World Affairs -
Where does Craig B. Whelden travel from?
Craig B. Whelden generally travels from Bluffton, SC, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent. -
Who is Craig B. Whelden’s agent?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Craig B. Whelden for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Craig B. Whelden for your next private or corporate function. -
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?
AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Craig B. Whelden or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us. -
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?
If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
Craig B. Whelden is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as A Consequential Life, The Evolving "Donroe” Doctrine, A Troubled World and How to Respond, 9/11: A Personal Account, Evolution of the U.S. Military from Vietnam to Today and Implications of a Rising China. The estimated speaking fee range to book Craig B. Whelden for your event is available upon request. Craig B. Whelden generally travels from Bluffton, SC, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Mike Hayes, Ed Hiner, Raj Patel, Kurt Muse and Rocky Bleier. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Craig B. Whelden for an upcoming live or virtual event.
This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.
All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.
If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.








