The Huddle with John Furner: Recent Episodes
Walmart
Team – I value communication and want to make sure you’re always able to hear directly from your leaders, including me. You’ll hear us talk about different aspects of the business that come together to form Walmart. I’ll also share the thinking behind some of the decisions we make, why we operate like we do, and your role in all of it. – John Furner, Walmart U.S. President & CEO
As we celebrate our Driver and Tech Appreciation Week, I want to recognize our amazing associates in Walmart's Private Fleet who play a crucial role in keeping our stores stocked, and serving our partners and customers all over the country. I also want to shine a spotlight on Emmanuel - not only is he one of our great drivers, but he's also an amazing person whose story is the true embodiment of the American dream. Originally from Uganda, Emmanuel came to the U.S. 27 years ago to support his family back home. Despite the struggle to make ends meet and being encouraged to file for bankruptcy, he joined Walmart's Private Fleet in 2021 – and it changed everything. Emmanuel was able to pay off $38,000 in debt, avoid bankruptcy, improve his credit score by over 200 points, and even buy a home this summer – something he never thought would be possible.
In this episode of the Huddle, Emmanuel and I talk about his incredible journey and how his heart for service helped him overcome every hardship. He is a testament to the life-changing opportunities Walmart provides for our associates, and I know you’ll be inspired listening to his story. We're so grateful to have Emmanuel and all our dedicated drivers and techs on our team, making the difference in countless lives every day. Thank you for all that you do!
We’ve had a blast in Houston at Walmart U.S.’s Annual Holiday Meeting! Every year, we bring our teams together from across the country to get everyone geared up for an amazing holiday season – showcasing all the great deals and holiday items we know our customers will love. In this episode of The Huddle, Brittany Smith – VP of Merchandising for our U.S. toy business – joined me on the merch floor to talk about the cool toys everyone’s excited about and the months of planning that happen behind the scenes to make all of this possible every year. I hope you’ll enjoy this fun episode and shop with Walmart for everything you need to celebrate the holidays – we have something for everyone!
This week we’ve been celebrating America’s 247th birthday! Our Walmart U.S. team is honored to serve this great country, and one of the most impactful ways we do that is selling products that come from this country. We’re proud that about 2/3rds of our product spend is on items made, grown or assembled in the U.S. For this Huddle episode, I visited an Arkansas rice farm with one of our merchants, Melody Richard. Melody and I spoke to the farmer, Dustin, about how he grows his rice and what selling rice to Walmart means for him and his community. There’s also an exciting regeneration story: Walmart and our partners are working with Dustin and other Arkansas farmers to grow their rice using less water and with less greenhouse gas emissions. It’s really exciting, and Melody explained it so well in this episode. Please watch, and learn how even a single bag of rice can support livelihoods in America AND regeneration.
At Walmart, our people have always driven our success. When I think of associates who are making the difference each day, I think of Marcie Bird. You may remember seeing Marcie on stage at Associates Week, where she shared her story about breaking barriers as the first Navajo Store Manager of Supercenter #906 in Gallup, NM. I had the privilege of having Marcie join me for an episode of The Huddle. We talked about her remarkable journey of growing up on a Navajo reservation to becoming the leader of a store with 500 associates. She also shares great insight about setting a positive example in her store, community, and across the country. Our people come from diverse backgrounds and bring unique life experiences, and Marcie’s story is a powerful reminder that with hard work, resilience, and determination, anyone can thrive at Walmart. I know you’ll enjoy this inspiring episode!
On Veterans Day, we should all stop and think about the people who’ve served. We’re so grateful for everything they’ve done, to allow us to live in safety and freedom. On this episode of the Huddle, I was honored to speak with Chris Aragon - an incredible Veteran with a heart for service. Chris recently retired from the Marine Corps after a 30-year career, and was thinking of the next chapter for himself and his family. Fortunately for us, he learned about Walmart through our Find a Future and Hiring our Heroes Career Bridge programs and landed as an Outbound Operations Manager in Chino, California. Chris is one of 80,000 Veterans and military spouses who have joined our team in the past year alone. They’re now serving Walmart customers with the same level of excellence they served their country. Listen to Chris talk about his career in the military, what drew him to Walmart, and what Veterans Day means to him. Happy Veterans Day, and to Chris and every other Veteran: thank you!
Tyler Balsman started with Walmart as a People Greeter when he was 16, working his way to Store Manager in a community we’ve been in for a long time – Store 242 in Paola, Kansas. Four years ago, Tyler was excited to add another title to his resume: Kari’s Dad. Tyler and his wife Danielle used Walmart’s adoption benefit when they became the parents of their beautiful baby girl. Tyler joined me on the Huddle to talk about leading a small-town store that makes a big impact, making the decision to adopt, and how our adoption benefit and parental leave made the process easier. We also talked about how Walmart has expanded our adoption/surrogacy benefits from $5,000 to $20,000, and how our medical plan now supports fertility services. Families come in different shapes and sizes, and they start in many different ways. At Walmart, we’re proud to support all of them!
Tammie Jo Shults was one of the U.S. Navy’s first female fighter pilots. She later became a Southwest pilot, and in April 2018 she was piloting a flight from New York City to Dallas that experienced a sudden engine failure. The plane was down an engine, and the explosion broke a window – causing the cabin to quickly depressurize. Tammie Jo stayed calm, immediately rerouted the plane, landed in Philadelphia, and even went back to speak with her passengers afterward. It was an honor to have Tammie Jo join me on the Huddle to talk about the experience, leadership, how she’s persevered against offenses, and how we must always “keep our wings level.”
Our private fleet drivers are the best-of-the-best. They safely drive millions of miles on the roads, keeping our entire business going. We’re also proud to offer one of the best driving jobs out there! A new driver can now earn up to $110,000 in their first year with us, and we recently launched the Private Fleet Development Program which pays for Walmart associates to earn their commercial licenses. Levor Franklin is a recent graduate of that program, and we spent some time on the road for this new episode of The Huddle. Levor is a great driver and fantastic 18-year associate, and I’m excited for you to see him at work in this episode. And THANK YOU to all of our incredible drivers and technicians! We appreciate you.
It was so cool having Jay Leno join The Huddle. He’s a famous comedian, television host, writer, and supplier for Walmart! They were in Michigan for the Woodward Dream Cruise which is North America’s largest celebration of automotive culture - and, of course, Mr. Sam’s truck made an appearance. Jay is passionate about cars and started his own line of car care products called “Jay Leno’s Garage” about a decade ago. His items are developed, made and shipped from the U.S. and have been on our store shelves for a couple of years now. Listen to this new episode to hear Jay’s advice on how to keep innovating, make products that can reach more people, and ultimately - deliver and care for each customer.
It’s been such a great week in Denver, CO, connecting with our teams at the Walmart U.S. Holiday Meeting! Getting to talk items, prepare for the upcoming season, and spend time with associates in person is always energizing - especially when they’re as passionate as Leidy Diaz. Leidy is the Store Manager at 2090 in Franklin, NJ. She moved to America from Colombia at 19 years old, has been with the company three years, and has been serving as SM for about a year. This was her first time coming to the Holiday meeting, and she loved getting to share experiences with fellow managers from across the country. Listen to this new episode of The Huddle to hear why some consider Leidy to be the mayor of her community.
Kellie Romack joined me on The Huddle from a store in Dallas, TX! She spends a lot of time in the field as SVP of Associate and Retail Product Experience. When we talk about "product" in the experience space, we’re talking about mobile apps our frontline associates use on a daily basis. Kellie and her team design and build these apps to simplify the work for our associates, save them time, and help them better serve our customers and members. Listen to this episode to hear Kellie talk about how her team focuses on listening to our associates and how quickly they can create a solution!
Ken Chenault is someone I really admire. He was a very successful and respected CEO of American Express, and today he’s the Chairman and Managing Director of General Catalyst. He’s also the co-founder of OneTen, whose mission is to upskill, hire and advance one million Black Americans over the next 10 years into family-sustaining jobs with opportunities for advancement. It was an honor to talk to Ken about leadership and culture, and how we can help create opportunities for individuals and society. Listen to this new episode to hear how you can emerge as a leader.
Olé Mexican Foods is one of our incredible suppliers – and a truly inspirational American success story. Veronica Moreno started the company in her home with just one tortilla machine, and today she employs hundreds of people across several communities. I recently had the pleasure of touring Olé’s Texas facilities and talking with Veronica and her son Edgar about the Olé story, and how they’re continuing to expand and invest. Walmart is passionate about supporting American entrepreneurs and businesses. This week, we held our ninth annual Open Call where more than 1,100 businesses from across the country pitched their products for a chance to see them on store shelves, Walmart.com, or our Walmart Marketplace. And we’ve pledged to spend an additional $350 billion over the next 10 years on products made, grown, or assembled in the U.S. That investment will support the creation of an estimated 750,000 new U.S. jobs. It’s amazing to think of the difference we can make for so many lives by buying and selling products that support American jobs. I hope you’ll join me in reflecting on that this weekend as we celebrate our nation’s 246th birthday. Happy Fourth of July, and thank you!
We want to help save people money so they can live better - that’s what we’re here for. It was great having Seth Dallaire, Walmart U.S. Chief Revenue Officer, join John Furner on The Huddle to talk about our first-quarter earnings results. He’s been with the company for six months now and has been focused on asking questions to learn how to better serve our customers and members across the country. Listen to this new episode to hear how we’re navigating different dynamics while keeping merchandising and customers at the forefront.
A business can’t successfully serve its customers and members without the work of everyone on the team. Steven Williams, CEO of PepsiCo Foods North America, recently joined The Huddle with John Furner to talk about that principle, and the importance of focusing on frontline associates. Listen to this new episode to learn how both companies work together on big topics like racial justice, equity and sustainability to make sure we’re making a difference for current and future generations.
It was great spending time at the new Moosejaw store in Bentonville with CEO Eoin Comerford. Moosejaw is an outdoor retailer in the Walmart family of brands that helps people from all walks of life discover the outdoors: first-time cyclists, campers, hikers, runners - anyone and everyone wanting to explore. Listen to this new episode of the Huddle to hear how product trends and categories have changed over the last couple of years, and why sustainability and inclusivity are core pillars for Moosejaw.
The first thing Erin Middleton did after learning FC 4085 won Fulfillment Center of the Year was give credit to her team. Erin has grown with the company into her current position of General Manager at the Davenport, FL, facility and is an extraordinary example of leadership. She recognizes the significant roles we all play in making a difference for our customers every day. John Furner was grateful to have her on the Huddle during our Year Beginning Meeting, and encourages you to listen to her words of advice - be present, bring your authentic self, and never underestimate the positive impact you can make on those around you.
For the first time in a couple years, we were able to hold our Walmart U.S. Year Beginning Meeting in person! It’s so energizing to be in Houston, connecting with the entire team from across the country. We're spending time this week talking about resetting our expectations for FY23. We’ve all been through so much, and while things won’t go back to the way they were - we're excited to start having a bit more fun with merchandise. Charles Redfield was recently promoted to Chief Merchandising Officer for Walmart U.S. and he joined John Furner from the Merch floor to talk about how we’re always innovating to provide the best items for our customers and members.
Today we released our Q4 Earnings results, and we achieved the biggest quarter our business has ever had! Our eCommerce business has grown more than 70% compared to two years ago, and we’ve moved quickly to convert our stores into true hybrid locations – used for both in-person shopping AND online fulfillment. John Furner talked more about this with Tom Ward, our EVP and Chief eCommerce Officer, in a special Earnings edition of The Huddle. Tom is a long-time associate who was an architect of our Pickup and Delivery capabilities and was recently leading our Last Mile innovations. Thank you again for another strong quarter, and now let’s keep it up!
There is so much to reflect on and be thankful for this year. A really special moment for John Furner was recording this Huddle episode with Marc Brock, who recently celebrated 14 years with the company and was promoted to Store Manager of 1560 in Las Vegas, NV! The first thing Marc did was appreciate his team and call his mother, Dorothy. It was such a great reminder of what really matters. All of us have family members, loved ones and friends who helped us become the people we are today. Marc is such a great example of being an engaged and positive leader - and we know many of our associates will look to him as proof that hard work, determination and passion can lead to amazing opportunities at Walmart. We’re so proud of all we’ve accomplished this year, and hope everyone gets the chance to enjoy the holidays with your loved ones. You deserve it! And make sure you watch until the very end of the full episode to see our surprise for Dorothy!
Veterans Day is a really important day for our country, and it’s a special day at Walmart. Our founder, Sam Walton, was an Army veteran - and so many of our associates have served. Since 2013, we’ve hired more than 400,000 veterans and military spouses to join our team, like Rhonda Jeter and Glenn Garay. Rhonda served in the Air Force for 10 years, is a loyal Walmart associate and was recently promoted to Store Manager at Store 399 in Longview, TX! Glenn is a first-generation American from Colombia, served 24 years in the Air Force and joined Walmart just two months ago as the first fellow hired in Global Tech through the Hiring our Heroes fellowship. They both have incredible stories and joined The Huddle with John Furner to talk about what serving our country has meant to them and the opportunities at Walmart for veterans.
We're grateful to have passionate people on our team like Dr. John Wigneswaran. Wig, as he likes to be called, is our Chief Medical Officer and joined Walmart after years in the medical field - he started in radiology, specialized in nephrology, and worked in the pharmaceutical industry, medical devices, dialysis, and most recently the pharmacy space. Wig shared firsthand the impact our pharmacy associates have on care and the relationship they build with their patients. We appreciate everything our pharmacy teams do every day, especially throughout the pandemic, and they are rightfully in the spotlight for National Pharmacy Week. Dr. Wig wanted to join Walmart because he saw how invested we are in providing accessible, affordable, human-centered care to associates and communities, and we’re lucky to have him on our incredible team.
We’ve officially rolled out our new Walmart app and website to 100% of customers! This means everyone is now able to see and purchase all of our items and services in one place - no more toggling between two separate apps. It’s a significant milestone of “Project Glass.” We named it after our late former CEO David Glass, who brought grocery and general merchandise together into the Supercenter. Building a single omnichannel platform has been a large undertaking and required the close partnership of several teams including Technology, Design, Business and Product. Meng Chee is our Chief Product Officer, and he joined John Furner on The Huddle to talk about how we’re continuing to reduce friction for both our customers and associates.
This weekend will mark 20 years since the attacks of September 11th. John Furner was a Store Manager in Jacksonville, NC, and distinctly remembers sharing the news with his team - several of which had family members and loved ones serving in the military. In that same moment, Dan Bartlett was with President George W. Bush. Dan is our EVP of Corporate Affairs and came to Walmart after a career in government as Communications Director and Counselor to the President. Dan joined The Huddle to talk about the events of that day - from first hearing the news to conversations had on Air Force One to standing in the Oval Office as President Bush addressed the nation. Our country was forever changed September 11, 2001, but we have stayed resilient and learned to rely on each other and support one another. Please take a moment to remember the 2,977 men, women and children killed that day and to honor the brave first responders who ran toward danger to save others. Two decades ago, we made a promise never to forget. Let us recommit ourselves to fulfilling it together.
We shared our Q2 business results earlier this week, and what a quarter! Walmart U.S. saw 5.2% comp sales growth, and our CFO Chris Nicholas joined The Huddle with John Furner to talk about the momentum we’re seeing. Chris’ first retail job was in England at 14 years old pricing products, zoning shelves and working in the backroom. He’s since worked retail in nine different countries and knows no matter where you are, being curious helps you best serve customers. It’s up to us to stay curious - always innovating and looking for ways to improve our business. Thank you for a strong quarter, and let’s keep it up!
When John Furner first talked with Mayor Frank Scott, Jr., a few months ago, he shared a quote that really made an impact on him. “Never let nostalgia become the enemy of vision.” Change is constant - and it’s something we’ve all felt in many ways over the last year and a half. In order to continue innovating and moving forward, we have to be ready and willing to unite, grow and transform. Mayor Scott is the first Black mayor elected by popular vote in Little Rock, Arkansas, and he often talks about the importance of transformation to achieve our best selves. Our associates across the U.S. prove this time and time again while protecting one another and serving our customers. Listen to this new episode of The Huddle to hear why John is proud of the work we’ve done and grateful to learn from inspirational leaders like Mayor Scott.
Jenny Dalquist’s grandfather came back to the United States from WWII with a background in metal working and chemistry, and her grandmother couldn’t find a lot of the products she used to cook her favorite Scandinavian dishes. Together they opened a family business in the Minneapolis area back in 1946 called Nordic Ware. After responding to Mr. Sam’s call for American manufacturers, Nordic Ware’s signature Bundt pan landed on our store shelves in 1986. Decades later they are now one of our longtime suppliers selling dozens of items, and John Furner recently toured their factory in person. We made a commitment earlier this year to spend an additional $350 billion on items made, grown or assembled in the U.S., and as we kick off our 8th annual Open Call this week, companies like Nordic Ware are what it’s all about. We welcome entrepreneurs from all over the country to virtually present their products to our merchandise buyers for a chance to get started with Walmart, just like Jenny’s family. Listen to this new episode of The Huddle with John Furner to hear their story.
Our people make the difference, and Teresa Machuca and Linda Truong are great examples of that. When Linda first started at Store 2066 in Houston, TX, as a pharmacist, she met Teresa. Teresa was a cashier at the time and said she wanted to become a pharmacy technician to help her Hispanic community. Linda supported Teresa and pushed her to achieve her goal, and she did. Teresa then lost her grandmother due to COVID-19 and made it her mission to protect the people she loves – taking time to educate her bilingual and Spanish-speaking customers, friends and family about the importance of vaccinations. We’re grateful Teresa and Linda are part of our Walmart family and glad you get to hear from them in this new episode of The Huddle with John Furner.
It's officially Associates Week! Our associates all across the country and the world have played such an important role the last year and a half, so we are celebrating you. It's been a remarkable effort. Doug McMillon joined The Huddle with John Furner to talk about his most memorable Shareholders moments - including a couple with Mr. Sam, why he believes our ability to adapt will help us thrive in the next generation of retail, and how our associates keep making a difference every day by showing up and stepping up.
Donna Morris joined Walmart as our Chief People Officer in February 2020. During a pandemic and civil unrest, the well-being of our associates was and still is a top priority. Donna and her team jumped right in and got to work - helping establish our COVID-19 leave policy, partnering to change our hiring process and onboard more than 500,000 new associates, supporting our many diversity initiatives like the Racial Equity Center, and the list goes on. Listen to this new episode of The Huddle with John Furner to hear her experience becoming an American citizen and why she believes becoming more inclusive as a team will make us an even better company.
Casey Carl is our Chief Omni Strategy & Operations Officer, and he’s had a long career in retail. As he puts it, omnichannel is the “term du jour” right now - but what exactly does it mean? It’s about delivering the best customer experience, no matter how they want to shop with us. Listen to this new episode of The Huddle with John Furner to hear how we’re removing friction for our associates, providing end-to-end service for our customers, and creating a unified strategy.
Today is Earth Day, and we’re committed to doing our part to help reduce U.S. emissions by at least 50% by 2030. One of the ways we can make a difference is by partnering with businesses and companies that share the same goals. Listen to this new episode of The Huddle to hear John Furner talk with New Belgium Brewing CEO Steve Fechheimer about their first certified carbon neutral beer and how they’re working to reduce freight and overall emissions from beer production.
Sam Walton used to test new ideas at Walmart’s 8th store in Morrilton, Arkansas. Today, Store No. 8 is the name of our company’s incubation arm. Scott Eckert’s team is always looking around the corner to identify new tech trends - some might have uncertain outcomes, but big potential if the idea works. Srini Venkatesan’s team then tests, iterates, and develops a final product to be implemented in stores across the country. InHome delivery and Intelligent Retail Lab both started at Store No. 8! We’re constantly running startups inside Walmart to remove friction for our associates and continue innovating for our customers. Listen to this new episode of The Huddle with John Furner to hear how we’re honoring Walmart’s entrepreneurial history while encouraging our teams to perform and transform for the future with Store No. 8.
Today is an exciting day. We are really proud to share Walmart’s new commitment of an additional $350 billion in the future of U.S. manufacturing, which will support more than 750,000 new American jobs with products made, grown or assembled in the United States. One of the great companies we’ve partnered with is Techtronic Industries. John Furner recently visited Anderson, SC, and met with Steven Scheyer who serves as Global President for TTI. Steven joined John on The Huddle to talk about his history working with Walmart and the difference we’re making for his company and in his community.
Rachel Brand grew up in a small town in Iowa, graduated from Harvard Law School, began an amazing career as an attorney, was appointed to the Department of Justice - and now she’s our EVP of Global Governance, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary. Wow! Her teams oversee everything from food safety and healthcare compliance to global security, aviation, and our Emergency Operations Center. Working at Walmart wasn’t something she planned to do, but her advice is to always be open to new opportunities. She saw how passionate we are about doing good for people in the world and wanted to be a part of it. Hear from her in this new episode of The Huddle with John Furner.
Walmart will play a critical role in giving people access to COVID-19 vaccines. Dr. Cheryl Pegus is our EVP of Health and Wellness, and she’s also a cardiologist who’s very passionate about immunizations. When it’s her turn to get the vaccine, she’s going to get it - and John Furner said he’ll do the same when it’s his turn. Dr. Cheryl joined John on The Huddle to talk about the science behind these vaccines, their effectiveness, the quick work we’re doing to be prepared to administer these vaccines, and why she’s encouraging everyone to get vaccinated.
When Bassel Aboutaha moved to America 17 years ago, he interviewed with Walmart and landed a job that ended up changing his life. Today he’s the Store Manager at 3296 in Houston, TX, leading a team that earned 3,000 five-star ratings from customers over a three-month period last year. Bassel’s associates represent the diverse community they serve, where 30 different languages are spoken. He says they can “move mountains.” Bassel is proof that if you look for opportunity and set your mind to it, you can accomplish anything. We know you’ll love hearing his inspiring story in this new episode of The Huddle with John Furner.
Trust is something we take very seriously at Walmart. We want our associates, customers, and the communities we serve to trust us. Nuala O’Connor is our SVP and Chief Counsel of Digital Citizenship. Her team makes sure we’re using data ethically and innovating responsibly to ultimately do the right thing for our customers. Listen to this new episode of The Huddle with John Furner to learn about Nuala’s career path and journey to Walmart, what Digital Citizenship means and how we’re using data and technology to build trust.
John Furner recently wrapped up his first year as Walmart U.S. CEO, so we decided to switch it up a bit for this new episode of The Huddle. Hear John reflect on everything our associates have accomplished, share his thinking behind some of the big decisions we’ve had to make as a company, and explain why we need to keep innovating to better serve our customers in the coming year.
“We are a single humanity, and we belong to each other. Our lives are inextricably linked.” Kelvin Buncum's perspective on leadership is to always treat others with dignity, respect and kindness. He’s an engineer, became an entrepreneur, and now leads our Neighborhood Market teams. He’s seen the true character of our associates firsthand during tough times. They’ve acted with courage and commitment to deliver for our customers in incredible ways. Listen to this new episode of The Huddle to hear Kelvin’s advice for those new to the world of retail, and why he believes we can accomplish more together.
Laura Phillips is a lifelong retailer and long-term Walmart associate. She leads our Global Sourcing and U.S. Manufacturing teams and played a huge role in our virtual Open Call event this year. Entrepreneurs and small businesses from 49 states pitched products manufactured in the U.S. to our merchants – and 4,800 were invited to marketplace. These suppliers have come up with innovative new items to meet the unique needs of our customers in several categories. Laura is a true merchant and is passionate about working with our customers, suppliers and associates. She joined The Huddle with John Furner to talk about how she started her career at Walmart as a store intern – and how we can continue making a positive difference in our country by investing in American jobs.
We wouldn’t be able to do what we do every day without our truck drivers. They keep our stores, Fulfillment Centers and Distribution Centers in stock, and have a pulse on the whole business. Sam Walton used to go and sit with drivers early in the morning for a couple of hours to listen and learn about what’s really going on, because they see it all. Steve Harper has a great story of how he became a Road Team member - from owning a flower shop to now training our drivers. Listen to this new episode of The Huddle to hear John talk with him about the culture of truck driving at Walmart, how we hire the best of the best, and the friendships he’s made through the years.
Respect for the Individual is one of our core values. As we continue taking steps to be an even more inclusive company, it’s important to constantly listen and educate ourselves about race and racism in our country. On this new episode of The Huddle with John Furner, he talks with Deena Hayes-Greene, Co-Founder of the Racial Equity Institute. She has a fantastic story and is so passionate about her work. Listen to this new episode to better understand how you can become an ally.
We are so excited to announce the launch of our membership program, Walmart+! It gives customers access to services like unlimited free home deliveries from our stores, Scan & Go for fast checkout, and a 5-cent per gallon discount on fuel. Janey Whiteside is our Chief Customer Officer, and her team worked hard to get Walmart+ off the ground. Listen to this new episode of The Huddle with John Furner to hear about this “life hack” and how it’ll save our customers money and time.
Steve Schmitt is the CFO for Walmart U.S. eCommerce and had great news to share this week. Walmart U.S. eComm sales grew by 97% in the second quarter! There are a lot of people behind that number – it doesn’t just happen. We’re evolving for our customers and making a difference. Listen to this newest episode of The Huddle with John Furner to hear Steve talk about Earnings, his love for Louisville, KY, and that one time he met Rob Gronkowski.
John Furner met with Fiona Tan back in January. She wears many hats as the SVP of U.S. Technology, but a big part of her team’s job is building experiences that save our customers time and money. While we couldn’t have predicted the impact of the pandemic, we’ve always worked to serve our customers. Listen to this newest episode of The Huddle to hear how we’ve gathered feedback, adjusted, been challenged, and met every challenge.
From bottles of bourbon to more than 5 million bottles of hand sanitizer, Sazerac switched up production at the start of the pandemic. The Louisville-based company has helped keep American spirits up for 150 years, and has been one of our most important spirit suppliers since 1985. Listen to this new episode of The Huddle to hear from Sazerac CEO Mark Brown and COO Matt Maimone on how their teams coordinated the large-scale shift in nine days.
Claire Babineaux-Fontenot has a fascinating story. She’s a Walmart alum, practiced law, tax law, corporate law, is a cancer survivor, mother, one of 108 kids, and is now the CEO of Feeding America. We’ve partnered with the nonprofit for decades and Walmart has provided 4.5 billion meals over the years. Listen to this new episode of The Huddle to hear how you can take part in the Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign and help bring food to people in need.
Kathleen McLaughlin has two big jobs at Walmart. She’s our Chief Sustainability Officer and President of the Walmart Foundation. A company can do good in several ways – everything from reducing emissions to developing a sustainable Supply Chain, creating opportunities for associates and advancing work on racial equity. Listen to this newest episode of The Huddle to hear the steps we’re taking to make a difference in our communities around the world.
Today was George Floyd’s memorial. There is anguish, trauma and heartache across America. We need to stand up against racism and discrimination. Store Manager NaToya Champion shared a really powerful message about what each of us can do. Be empathetic. Initiate conversations. Ask, “Are you okay?” And now more than ever, listen. We're so grateful to have leaders like NaToya serving our communities and setting a positive example.
While we can prepare for a lot, the needs of our customers quickly changed due to COVID-19. In this last quarter, Walmart U.S. comp sales increased 10%, excluding fuel, and Walmart U.S. eCommerce sales grew 74%. Our merchants choose what we sell, how much we sell it for and whether it’ll be in our stores or online. Listen to this new episode of The Huddle to hear from Latriece Watkins, Charles Redfield and Anthony Soohoo on some of the more interesting items customers started buying and how our teams responded.
Dacona Smith is all about simplifying the work. He joined The Huddle last week to talk about how we’ve responded to COVID-19. This week, we’re sharing an episode we actually recorded a couple of months ago with more about his career and leadership style. Dacona started with our company 30 years ago assembling bikes and pushing carts. He also used to play football and shared how his experience playing quarterback reminds him a lot of his time as a store manager. Listen to this new episode to hear his advice for associates!
Dacona Smith, Chief Operating Officer for Walmart U.S., is passionate about protecting our associates and customers. He joined John Furner on The Huddle to talk about steps we’ve taken in stores, how our teams have stepped up in their communities, and how the shopping experience has changed for customers during this pandemic. Listen to this new episode to hear how we’re preparing for a new normal in the months ahead.
COVID-19 is affecting the lives of our associates all over the world. Listen to John Furner and Judith McKenna, CEO of Walmart International, talk about what we’re seeing in different markets, what we’ve learned over the last few months, and how we can share best practices. We can learn a lot from each other.
These are unprecedented times. We’re making decisions hour by hour, and often minute by minute. Walmart is lucky to have Dr. Tom Van Gilder serving as our Chief Medical Officer. Listen to this new episode to hear how we’re working to keep our associates and customers safe and healthy during this COVID-19 pandemic.
Our associates are making a difference in their communities during this difficult time. Julie Murphy, EVP of People for Walmart U.S., joined The Huddle with John Furner to talk about our new COVID-19 policy, the importance of communication, and how we’ll be making decisions moving forward. Listen to the full episode.
One week ago today, John Furner recognized 85 store managers as Difference Makers. Amy McMullin leads a top-performing team in Norman, OK, and was selected to be celebrated in Bentonville for her achievements. She sat down with John to share challenges she faces and the role Walmart plays in every community. Give this new episode a listen to hear how we’re making a difference for our associates and customers.
We released our Q4 and full-year earnings this week. Walmart U.S. Chief Financial Officer, Michael Dastugue, keeps track of every dollar and helps guide our strategy. He spent some time on The Huddle with John Furner breaking down how comps and growth affect our associates. Hear their plans for moving the business forward in this new episode.
Scott McCall started his career with Walmart as an hourly management trainee in Grenada, Mississippi, more than 25 years ago. He was recently named Walmart U.S. Chief Merchandising Officer. Scott understands our customers and the ways they want to shop with us. Hear why being curious makes a big difference in retail in this new episode.
Monique Picou is one of the many Supply Chain associates making sure product gets to our store shelves. She joined The Huddle with John Furner and shared how our teams are constantly working to eliminate friction for our customers. Monique is also very passionate about women in STEM and was recently selected to be a part of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Next Gen Summit! From working internationally to working in Bentonville, AR, hear about her path to Walmart in this new episode.
This week John sits down with Store Manager Kelly Clark from Fort Smith, AR. Kelly was the store manager when John was training to be an assistant manager back in 1995. They talk about how running a Supercenter has changed over the years, and Kelly shares how he continues to develop associates after 40 years in retail. They also have some great Mr. Sam stories. Give this new episode a listen.
You’ve heard a few episodes so far and it’s now officially called, “The Huddle with John Furner.” Give this new episode a listen to hear why he chose that name! John also shares how we should be communicating with our teams, serving our customers, and the role Walmart plays in people’s lives during this busy holiday season.
Doug McMillon and John Furner are looking back on all they’ve experienced over the last 25 years of holidays at Walmart! The two swap Black Friday stories and give shout-outs to all of our amazing associates who made this Thanksgiving week happen.
As we took time this week to honor all veterans, John Furner sat down with Army veteran Sal Giunta. Sal is the first living person since Vietnam to receive the Medal of Honor. He is an inspiration to many with his humility, integrity and commitment to serving others. The stories he shared are remarkable and impactful.
On his first day as President & CEO of Walmart U.S., John Furner shared what Walmart means to him, his leadership style, and why he's excited to connect with associates.