About Us

Dennis Whelan
President

Meet Dennis Whelan, founder and president of The Whelan Group.

Dennis’s career in higher education marketing spans nearly 30 years. However, today, with a talented team in place and his name on the door, he loves his work more than ever. Why? Because he knows every project is full of possibilities—to bring the personality of a college or university to life, to help schools connect with prospects, to do something for the greater good.  To Dennis, higher education marketing has always been a passion.

A seasoned leader and manager, Dennis is an expert at building partnerships. Prior to launching The Whelan Group, Dennis was vice president of Carnegie Communications’ Creative Services Division—a division he started from scratch in 1999. Committed to client service and success, Dennis is recognized as an honest, motivated, forward-thinking professional who “tells it like it is.” He’s one of the most respected (and by far the most fun!) individuals in the field of higher education marketing. And his projects don’t just earn awards. They produce results.

Dennis was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, where he attended the University of Missouri-St. Louis and received a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in secondary education.  Dennis began his career as a teacher in the special education system in St. Louis.

When he’s not traveling to colleges and universities throughout the country, Dennis and his wife, Sherry, work with a local pet rescue group, fostering small dogs in peril (as many as 50 in the last five years).  He also enjoys watching and sometimes attending ACC basketball games and sharing time with family and friends in Raleigh, North Carolina.