Daniel James

**Daniel William James** (born December 14, 1958) is an American real estate developer and the First Gentleman of Virginia from 2014 to 2015. He was married to Governor Anne Whitestone from 2010 until their divorce in 2016.

Born in Greenwich, Connecticut, James graduated from Brunswick School in 1977. After graduating, he enrolled in Harvard University, receiving a bachelor's degree in economics in 1981. While a college student, James also obtained a real estate license, and began selling property as a side-job. James enrolled in a graduate program at Harvard Business School in 1982, and graduated with a master's degree in 1984. After graduating, James moved to Washington, D.C. and worked at his father's real estate developing firm James Property Development.

## Early life and family

James was born on December 14, 1958 in Greenwich, Connecticut to parents William (1924–2007) and Nelly James (née *Shirinova*; 1930–2013). His father was a New York-born real estate developer who came from an English background, while his mother was an ethnic Russian born in Riga, Latvia and came to the United States as a teenager, working as a fashion model until becoming a housewife and socialite in the 1950s. James grew up bilingually, speaking both English and Russian. He is the eldest of three children; his younger siblings include Catherine, born  (1961-03-17) March 17, 1961 (age 62), and Alexander, born  (1965-10-19) October 19, 1965 (age 58).

## Education and career

James attended private schooling in Greenwich. He began his education in 1965, attending Greenwich Country Day School (GCDS), an independent coeducational nursery through ninth school. After graduating from GCDS in 1974, he began attending Brunswick School, an independent PK–12 boys school. In high school, James was an honors student and member of the varsity baseball team. He graduated from high school in 1977.

After graduating from high school, James moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts to attend Harvard University. In 1979, he received his real estate license and began selling property on the side. James graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics in 1981. While at Harvard, he joined the Sigma Chi (ΣΧ) fraternity, and served as president in his senior year. He returned to Harvard in 1982, enrolling in Harvard Business School, and received an MBA in 1984. After finishing his education, James began working at his father's real estate development firm James Property Development. He moved to Washington, D.C. in 1986 to head the newly emerging D.C. office. Following his father's retirement in 1994, James was promoted to head of the firm.

### First Gentleman of Virginia

In 2013, James's wife Anne Whitestone was elected Governor of Virginia. He began serving as First Gentleman of Virginia following her swearing in on January 11, 2014. James's duties included accompanying Whitestone at political events and hosting guests at the Executive Mansion. He also had his own team of staff.

James and Whitestone separated in 2015 and announced that Whitestone had filed for divorce. After the announcement of their separation, James left his post as First Gentleman, and he was *de facto* succeeded by his stepdaughter Maggie Whitestone.

## Personal life

James married attorney Rhonda Ellis in 1998, later divorcing in 2003. He began dating sociology professor Anne Whitestone in 2005. They became engaged in 2009, and married the following year. With his marriage to Whitestone, James had one stepdaughter: Maggie. Whitestone filed for divorce from James in 2015, citing physical and emotional abuse. Their divorce was finalized the following year. Whitestone subsequently also was granted a restraining order against him.

James resides between the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. and the Tribeca neighborhood of New York City. While married to Ellis, he primarily resided in New York City, and while married to Whitestone, he primarily resided in her Alexandria, Virginia home. After Whitestone's election as Governor of Virginia in 2014, he moved to the Executive Mansion in Richmond, Virginia. After their separation in 2015, he moved out of the Executive Mansion and their Alexandria home.