Walmart helps diverse businesses realize their full potential

At Walmart, we believe that given the opportunity, everyone has the ability to reach their full potential. Because of our dedication to supplier diversity, we are proud to be able to help minority- and women-owned businesses do just that by providing diverse suppliers with scholarships to attend the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.

In 2008, we provided 10 minority- and women-owned businesses with scholarships for the Tuck Executive Program. The Program is an intensive, one-week entrepreneurial business course designed for high-performing minority and women business owners. Read comments from the participants below.

Because of this early success, Walmart is providing 10 more minority- and women-owned businesses with a scholarship to attend the Tuck School of Business in 2009.

"The Tuck School's unique programs for minority- and women-owned businesses focus on how the supplier can prosper and grow by creating maximum value for its customers. The case study is the attendee's own business, and the deliverable is a strategic plan and a To-Do list. Walmart knows that providing both high value and the opportunity for people to save money so they can live better requires excellence in its supply chain. From that perspective, sending its high-potential MWBE suppliers to the Tuck program is a strategic investment." Read more about the Tuck Executive Program.

Participants

Jacqueline Neal of Glory Foods, Sarah Frey-Talley of Frey Farms, Leonard Greenhalgh of Tuck, Marvin Murdock of Powers and Sons and Anthony Soto of Walmart.

B2B Transport Market
Frey Farms
GlobalHue
Glory Foods, Inc.
Omar, Inc.
Powers & Sons Construction
The Reynolds Group, LLC
Shore Acres Farms
Sigma Supply of North America, Inc.
TechniSource Packaging, Inc.

Testimonials

Glory Foods, Inc.

"The program was informative and covered a wide range of topics applicable to any business owner. Experiences in their respective fields, the professors were very engaging and encouraged everyone to participate. The magnitude of the undertaking – scholarships, time, travel, etc. – reveals just how seriously Walmart takes its commitment to not only broadening the number of minority businesses it buys from, but also to provide those companies with the right tools to help them continue to grow and make the best decisions for their businesses." – Jacqueline D. Neal, president of Glory Foods, Inc.

B2B Transport Market

"This once in a life time experience provided me with a different perspective of the ever changing global business environment that we are living. Going back to college after 30 plus years, awakened me to the challenging and competitive world of student life. Attending classes with so many diverse classmates, from very different backgrounds, made me more cognizant and proud of my heritage. It was an experience I will never forget." – J.C. Alvarez, Jr., president of B2B Transport Market.

Powers & Sons Construction

"The value cannot be measured at the present time for we continue to benefit and implement the many strategic methods for increasing and growing our business by applying the wealth of information given to the class during the period of time we spent together." – Marvin B. Murdock, vice president of Powers & Sons.

TechniSource Packaging, Inc.

Elizabeth Tran of TechniSource Packaging, with Tuck professor, Leonard Greenhalgh.

"Fortunately, this training allowed me to review our existing business methodologies and create new business models. By building upon our financial strength it allowed us to expand upon those strengths to leverage our growth, thus capturing existing and new business opportunities." – Elizabeth Tran, president of TechniSource Packaging, Inc.

Frey Farms

"Once I returned from the program I was able to clearly define a business strategy for the immediate and long term growth of my company. I learned new ways to improve my company’s competitive advantage and differentiate our products." – Sarah Frey-Talley, president of Frey Farms.

Omar, Inc.

Terrell Wilson of Omar Inc., with Tuck Professor, Leonard Greenhalgh.

"Tuck really helped me to see the ‘big picture’ and see the whole scope of the business Arena. We covered a slew of topics, everything from start up businesses to business strategy to Import Export to Acquisition," said Terrell Wilson, senior vice president of operations for Omar Inc. "I’m still studying my notes from the class to this day." – Terrell Wilson, senior vice president of operations for Omar Inc.

GlobalHue

"The program reinforced some basic principles and practices for successful business ownership. The interaction and interplay between the professors and participants, as well as that between participants, took the program from educational theory to practical application." – Don Coleman, president and CEO of GlobalHue

The Reynolds Group, LLC

"Because of this opportunity from Walmart and my successful completion of the program "Growing the Minority Business to Scale," I am now better equipped to ‘grow’ my business and be a valuable supply chain partner in the logistics/transportation industry. I have been in private business for 22 years this past February and I have to say that this experience ranks at the top of my business highlights. To be able to attend one of the top business schools in the country, if not the top, and be taught by the top professors in their field is truly a blessing." – Roger Reynolds, president and CEO of The Reynolds Group, LLC.

Sigma Supply of North America, Inc.

"I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know how much I enjoyed the Tuck School of Business. I have wasted no time in taking some of the ideas from the school and putting into practice with my business. I came back to work with a new outlook on things I can do to widen my customer base." – Maggie Hamby, president of Sigma Supply of North America, Inc.

About the Tuck School of Business and Dartmouth College

In 2004, the Tuck School of Business reached its 25th year of supplying minority business executive programs. The Tuck School has two minority business programs: "Building a High-Performing Minority Business" and "Growing the Minority Business to Scale."

In "Building a High-Performing Minority Business," companies focus on the "development and implementation of a customer-focused strategic plan," and "learn how to use important financial tools to perform cost analysis and implement control systems," according to Tuck.

In "Growing the Minority Business to Scale," companies "engage in collaborative learning process that focuses on strategies of organic growth, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic alliances," according to Tuck.

For more information, visit tuck.dartmouth.edu