STORES Convention Daily - 2018 Big Show Day 1 - 4

2018 SUNDAY

4

McMillon Leads Walmart on Fresh Trajectory

E

veryone starts somewhere. Doug
McMillon, president and chief executive officer of Walmart, started
out as an hourly summer associate in a
Walmart distribution center, often unloading trucks. Now 51, he is the youngest
CEO since founder Sam Walton to lead the
world's biggest retailer and largest private
workforce.
During the 2018 NRF Foundation Gala
tonight, McMillon will be recognized as
"The Visionary," a prestigious award presented by the National Retail Federation
to an inspiring leader with a long record of
spearheading change in the industry.

NRF's
"The Visionary"
Honoree
"From risk-taking acquisitions like
Jet.com to investing in the future of the
industry by prioritizing workforce solutions
and spearheading initiatives that empower
businesses to be a force for good, Doug
McMillon's leadership has kept Walmart
at the forefront of innovation," said NRF
President and CEO Matthew Shay.
"Doug McMillon is a homegrown
talent at Walmart who has spent his entire
career rotating through different roles to
better understand the business. His diversity in experience has created a leader who
ensures that the world's largest company
remains a pioneer that sets the pace for
retailers around the world."
The Visionary, selected by a prominent
group of retail executives, recognizes an individual who is a disruptor, dreamer, giver,

influencer and power player who has
changed and continues to transform the
landscape of retail in a monumental way.
As CEO, McMillon leads a strong
management team that works to deliver
Walmart's mission of "saving people
money so they can live better." Under his
leadership, Walmart is bringing together
its stores, logistics network and digital
commerce capabilities in new ways to
empower customers to shop whenever,
wherever and however they want. Each
week, some 260 million customers and
members visit more than 11,600 stores
under 59 banners in 28 countries and
ecommerce websites in 11 countries.
McMillon represents the quintessential "rose through the ranks" success
story. After his stint in the distribution
center in the mid-'80s, he rejoined the
company in 1990 while pursuing a mas- Walmart President and CEO Doug McMillon
ter's degree in business administration and of new and innovative ways to serve them
served as an assistant manager in a Tulsa, and to save them not only money, but time,"
Okla., store.
McMillon said.
He later transitioned to merchandis"I'm proud of the team we have in
ing, and over the years went on to serve place and I'd like to thank our associates,
in senior leadership roles across several because they are the ones serving customers
Walmart business segments. From 2006 every day and doing the work that is being
to 2009, he served as president and CEO recognized by the NRF, and for that we are
of Sam's Club. In February 2009, he was truly humbled."
named president and CEO of Walmart
This afternoon, McMillon will sit
International. Five years later, in February down with Shay for a conversation about
2014, he transitioned to his current role as all things retail; it promises to be one of
president and CEO.
the most popular sessions of this year's
McMillon, who says he remains a conference. What are some of the topmerchant at heart and has a reputation for ics they're likely to touch on? Though
understanding where customers around the McMillon rarely does one-on-one interworld are heading next, was humbled by views, here are some thoughts he shared
the Visionary recognition.
late last year with TheStreet and a handful
"We strive to be a purpose-driven com- of others.
pany, and we work to make every day easier
for busy families. This is an exciting time
What McMillon thought when first
to be in retail as customers are more con- taking the CEO role:
nected than ever. We're having fun thinking
"I think Walmart is a company that

deserves to be part of the future and
has a culture that will enable us to get
there." -- TheStreet
His big goal for 2018:
"Speed is the biggest thing we
want to achieve next year - none of us
feel like we are moving fast enough."
-- TheStreet
To people who say Walmart is too
old to compete with Amazon and other
digital retailers:
"It's good to be underestimated."
-- TheStreet
On Walmart into the future:
"It would be awfully cool to have
Walmart here in 50 years' time and
have it be as important as it is in the
lives of our customers and associates."
-- TheStreet
On ordering new Tesla semi trucks:
"We've set a target of getting a gigaton of carbon out of our business by 2030,
together with our suppliers, so we need to
find lots of ideas like this. Hopefully we
can make this Tesla thing work so we can
achieve our goal." -- TheStreet
On the corporate name change:
It is "just a symbol of how customers
are shopping us today and how they'll increasingly shop us in the future. Whether
it's in our stores, on our sites, with our apps,
by using their voice or whatever comes
next, there is just one Walmart as far as
our customers are concerned. When they
shop with us, they expect it to be an easy
and seamless experience." - Walmart.com
blog post
See "Visionary" on page 10

Who Made 'The List' in 2018?
Tonight, 27 individuals who have impacted the retail industry will be honored during the fourth annual NRF Foundation Gala.
Meet the disruptors, dreamers, givers, influencers and power players on The List of People Shaping Retail's Future 2018.
Disruptors:
Jeff Barnett, CEO, Commerce Cloud, Salesforce
Adam Goldenberg, co-CEO, TechStyle Fashion Group
Paul Hennessy, CEO, Vroom
Jeff Kearl, CEO, Stance
Chris McCann, president and CEO, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM Inc.
Emily Weiss, founder and CEO, Glossier

Dreamers:
Isabelle and Katherine Adams, co-CEOs, Paper For Water
Michael Lastoria, co-founder, CEO and creative director, &pizza
Carley Ochs, founder, CEO and designer, Bourbon and Boweties
Kate Ross LeBlanc, CEO and co-founder, Saje Natural Wellness

Givers:
Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale, philanthropist and owner, Gallery Furniture
Brittany Merrill Underwood, founder and CEO, Akola Project
Karin Norington-Reaves, CEO, Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership

Buddy Teaster, president and CEO, Soles4Souls
Hamdi Ulukaya, founder, chairman and CEO, Chobani

Influencers:
Matthew Boss, managing director, equity research, consumer discretionary/retailing,
J.P. Morgan
Amanda Curtis and Gemma Sole, co-founders, Nineteenth Amendment
Jonathan Sokoloff, managing partner, Leonard Green & Partners
Rob Sweeney, global head of consumer and retail investment banking,
Goldman Sachs
Barbara Thau, contributing retail writer, Forbes.com

Power Players:
Mary Campbell, executive vice president, commerce platforms, QVC Inc.
James 'JC' Curleigh, president, Levi's Brand
Jane Elfers, president and CEO, The Children's Place Inc.
Helena Foulkes, executive vice president, CVS Health, and president, CVS Pharmacy
Greg Scott, CEO, New York & Company

http://email.prnewswire.com/wf/click?upn=1btBb0lXBdJPT5xWZ6HrleNKNpjeKK3F5iTJ7AH7FOQVCjHboG3loxKFE8d0knkVD3l6k1xb4OiLm82zEWyN6zffm0t9o9HF6yx9I4ih-2BeDCrk43PsAp-2F0CH3WoYDA-2FvpxRyLnisruSiL4nJXaVbqu7xlVLchfZvTPjC6JhNJucsE4P66MI0Zpg7PHXwy6x2w2jlWOWNnK4Yzb4cZbo0hb8dG4QT0HMsXxhOIP6rtXA-3D_aWDIlLU8GHIzAwNDuKucrBTmCOU5oO-2FfA6SgkyacnmkboInP2DLVujuGpT2KzOpAmsHySLGQoFvoZdasxY32SFfyDjXJJKZy-2FsqShlaTM2ft5PiVAhjHjiWHY6xypeqrr-2BPay-2BJbIs6uO25IB5gNpR9UGL5besuuLPttbmJ2mzX5sQ6Lal3cHOOb4flPwJx-2FAGx5OTFicmzctKDYhecXhAwjp24l9Gef12KEsp2QqWDV2i2EvPqkZbzfH-2BI-2BefZRn91pmFixAHbRTNNY-2FsljTAh-2B1IO2MY59-2Bf4-2F3SDMQ8cs1kHIoxGgXzYtQDvbFbBjeJ5IZNyGdjNZnsyls67Oyw-3D-3D http://www.Jet.com http://www.Walmart.com http://www.1-800-FLOWERS.COM http://www.Forbes.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of STORES Convention Daily - 2018 Big Show Day 1