Leadership with Purpose: Lee Scott

All proceeds benefit SPARCC (Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center) and Selah Freedom (anti-human trafficking).

AGENDA

Doors open at 7:30am with networking and light breakfast.

8:30am Speaker including Q&A

ends promptly at 9:30am

PARKING

Limited free parking in the garage at 111 S. Pineapple Avenue. Paid parking available in nearby city garages at 1538 State Street and 1289 North Palm Avenue or street parking along Pineapple, Main, and Palm.

BIO

Lee Scott served as Walmart’s President and CEO from 2000 to 2009. During his tenure while leading the world’s largest company, he was widely credited with reinvigorating Walmart’s mission and transforming the retailer’s role in helping tackle the toughest issues facing an increasingly complex world.

In 1979, Lee Scott joined Walmart as an assistant director of the private truck fleet. He quickly rose through the ranks of Logistics to become the division’s executive vice president in 1993. Two years later, he transitioned to Merchandise as that division’s executive vice president.

In 1998, Lee was promoted to president and CEO of Walmart U.S. One year later, he was named chief operating officer and vice chairman of Walmart. During Lee’s more than nine years as president and CEO of Walmart, he oversaw a 243 percent increase in Walmart’s global sales, from $165 billion to $401 billion, and a 277 percent increase in earnings, from $1.21 per share to $3.35 per share. He expanded Walmart’s operations from 10 to 16 countries, including to India, Japan and Chile. Profits also rose 249 percent to more than $13 billion. During his last year as CEO, Walmart was the best performing stock in the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Midway through Lee’s tenure as CEO, Walmart began to face mounting pressure from critics and well-funded union groups. With the help of the board of directors, Lee began to address the challenges facing the company’s reputation by emphasizing the “Live Better” part of Walmart’s mission.

Over the next several years, Walmart stepped out on a number of major issues facing the U.S. and the world. In response to soaring health care costs in the U.S., Walmart launched its $4 generic prescription drug program. To date, the initiative has saved customers more than $2 billion.

Perhaps most notably, Lee set a number of ambitious sustainability goals for Walmart. He committed to doubling the company’s truck fleet efficiency by 2015. Today, Walmart has already achieved a 60 percent increase in fleet efficiency. Lee also convened Walmart’s first Sustainability Summit in Beijing, China, to launch an unprecedented plan for a more socially and environmentally responsible supply chain. Today, 93 percent of Walmart’s direct sourcing merchandize is produced in top-rated factories.

Since retirement Lee has served on numerous private and public company boards. He received the Horatio Alger Award in 2018 for his lifelong commitment to education and economic opportunity for America's youth.

Lee is a native of Baxter Springs, Kansas. He received his bachelor’s of science degree in business from Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas. In 1995, the University named him an outstanding alumnus. Lee has also completed executive development programs at Penn State University and Columbia University and received an honorary degree from the University of Arkansas in 2007.

Lee currently lives in Sarasota.