How Doug McMillon went from unloading Walmart trucks as a teen to earning $26.9 million as CEO

Walmart President and CEO Doug McMillon.

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

• Walmart CEO Doug McMillon started his career with the company unloading trucks in Arkansas. 
• After college, he rose through the ranks to join the C-suite in 2005 and was appointed CEO in 2014.
• McMillon is now in charge of 2.1 million employees, more than 10,000 stores, and annual sales of $648 billion.

Doug McMillon has been part of the Walmart family for a very long time.

40 years ago, McMillon started unloading trucks at a Walmart distribution center as a teen saving money for college, and later rose through the ranks to join the C-suite in 2005. 

Since becoming CEO in 2014, McMillon has expanded Walmart's offerings by launching Walmart+ and modernizing the company with new tech, drone delivery services, and by leveraging generative AI.

McMillon is now in charge of the largest company in the world by sales and headcount, with 2.1 million employees, more than 10,000 retail stores, and annual sales of $648 billion.

Here's a look at McMillon's journey from unloading trucks to becoming the Walmart CEO.

Carl Douglas McMillon was born in 1966 in Memphis, Tennessee, and spent his early years in Jonesboro, Arkansas.

Bentonville, Arkansas, the birthplace of Walmart.

Gilles Mingasson /Getty Images

When he was 16, his family moved to the birthplace of Walmart, Bentonville, Arkansas, where his father opened a dental practice.

During the summer, McMillon worked at a Walmart distribution center unloading trucks.

McMillon got used to working around Walmart trucks early on.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

"The highest paying job in Bentonville, Arkansas, in 1984 was the Walmart Warehouse at $6.50 an hour compared to McDonald's at $3.35, so I chose Walmart," McMillon told the Stratechery podcast. ($6.50 an hour in 1984 is worth about $19.79 in today's dollars.)

After graduating from the local public high school, McMillon set off for the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.

Doug McMillon's University of Arkansas '89 yearbook picture gives a glimpse at what he looked like in his younger years.

University of Arkansas Libraries Special Collections

He graduated in 1989 with a bachelor's degree in business administration. His Instagram bio, "Husband. Father. Razorback. Gadget geek. Retail lifer. Proud Walmart associate," nods to the university's mascot, a razorback hog known as "Big Red."

Next, McMillon enrolled in the University of Tulsa's MBA program.

McMillon worked at Walmart while pursuing his MBA.

Reuters/Ray Stubblebine

While completing his studies, he returned to Walmart as an assistant manager at store #894 in Oklahoma. Soon after, McMillon moved back to his Arkansas hometown to be Walmart's fishing tackle buyer at the corporate headquarters.

From fishing tackle, McMillon has since worked across food, apparel, home furnishing, baby food, and more.

McMillon has worn many hats at Walmart.

Gareth Patterson / AP Images

He worked as a general merchandise manager at Sam's Club (Walmart's wholesale club store) and climbed to a senior VP at Walmart overseeing toys, electronics, and sporting goods.

In 2006, McMillon got his first truly high-profile job in the company, as CEO of Sam's Club.

McMillon as CEO of Sam's Club.

April L. Brown / AP Images

McMillon found success by focusing on small business owners, the Wall Street Journal reported.

"The job at Sam's really stretched me to be responsible for everything from club operations to real estate, finance and all the other functions, which was a lot of fun. And I finally started to use my MBA a bit to polish off some of those skills," McMillon told Stratechery.

After four years leading Sam's Club, McMillon was appointed CEO of Walmart International in 2009.

2009 was a big year for McMillon.

AP Photo/Julio Cortez

With the international business, "we were all over the world and operating these different independent businesses, and got a lot more involved in strategy, M&A, and talent development specifically," McMillon told Stratechery.

As CEO, McMillon has extended his leadership beyond retail, seeking to make a positive impact on social issues.

Doug McMillon, CEO of Walmart, ended the sale of e-cigarettes at Walmart.

CNBC Contributor/ Getty Images

In 2019, Walmart announced it would stop selling e-cigarettes after vaping-related lung injuries were linked to 530 hospitalizations and eight deaths. That year, Walmart also announced it would limit the sales of guns and ammunition in the wake of two deadly shootings at Walmart stores in El Paso, Texas, and Southaven, Mississippi.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Walmart provided essential goods to low-income shoppers and helped strengthen vaccination efforts through out the country.

McMillon speaks about the coronavirus in the Rose Garden of the White House.

AP Photo/Alex Brandon

In February 2021, McMillon urged Congress to pass another stimulus check, referencing Walmart spending data as proof that families need more money to buy essentials like groceries.

Following the murder of George Floyd, McMillon condemned racial violence and pledged that Walmart would provide mentorship and funding to help advance racial equity.

McMillon spoke out after the murder of George Floyd in 2020.

Mark Lennihan/AP Images

The company donated a total of $14 million to 16 different nonprofit organizations and set a goal to donate $100 million over five years to fight systemic racism.

In 2020, McMillon also oversaw the launch of the Walmart+ membership program.

A Sam's Club employee assists with curbside pickup, which launched in 2020.

Courtesy of Sam's Club

The company also launched the Walmart Connect advertising business, express delivery, and curbside pickup at Sam's Club.

2022 tested McMillon and Walmart, as e-commerce growth slowed down and supply chain issues and inflationary issues led to a glut of excess inventory.

McMillon speaks at the 2017 ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans.

Paras Griffin/Getty Images for 2017 ESSENCE Festival

The company reported a 32% year-over-year increase in inventory in the second quarter that year.

McMillon continues to modernize Walmart, expanding drone delivery and advancing the use of generative AI.

A Wing drone carrying a Walmart package.

Walmart

"It's a people business and it's a merchandising business," McMillon told Stratechery. "Today, it's increasingly a technology business."

More recently, McMillon has been positioning the 62-year-old retail business as a tech-powered company with advancements in robotics, media, and artificial intelligence.

McMillon at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2024, where he described Walmart as a "tech-powered" company.

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

"We've changed and are changing a lot," McMillon said at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. "I've been asked, how do you even describe Walmart today? We're a people-led, tech-powered, omni-channel retailer dedicated to helping people. We want to help people live better. That starts with saving them money. But it doesn't stop there."

McMillon is paid handsomely for his work, earning $26.9 million in total compensation in 2023.

Shelley and Doug McMillon attend the Sun Valley Media Conference in 2022.

Brendan McDermid/REUTERS

By comparison, Target CEO Brian Cornell's most recently disclosed compensation package was $17.6 million, while Craig Jelinek made $16.8 million in his final year as Costco's CEO.

With Walmart's scale, McMillon is also having a significant impact on workers and the environment.

McMillon gave employee Dwight Blanton a surprise promotion to associate manager at the 2016 Walmart Shareholders Meeting.

Walmart

"Under his leadership as president and CEO, Walmart is investing heavily in wages, benefits and education — including a debt-free college program and an expanded parental leave policy," his corporate bio says. "During his tenure, the company also set an aspirational goal to become a regenerative company and launched ambitious work such as Project Gigaton to combat climate change and work with suppliers to avoid 1 billion metric tons of emissions worldwide."

McMillon says he's often asked for advice on how to climb the corporate ladder like he did.

McMillon is a "retail lifer" and knows a thing or two about landing promotions in a company.

Mark Wilson/ Getty Images

His top tips: do your job well, be a good teammate, and help solve new challenges.

 

Ben Tobin and Hannah Towey contributed to previous versions of this story.

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