Associate Spotlight: Todd Garner
A Leader in the Field
Sam’s Club VP of Product Management Todd Garner [cliff] dives into the parallels between the Air Force and retail, his passion for problem solving and how his time in Afghanistan shaped the way he serves and leads.
Todd Garner has flown supersonic aircraft trainers. He has jumped out of planes and piloted gliders. However, the former Air Force captain will be the first to say that nothing lights him up like making a tangible impact in people’s lives – through retail.
Todd credits his first job more than 20 years ago with sparking his passion for retail. He worked at the Walmart supercenter in Muscatine, Iowa, and spent most of his time in electronics and the garden center.
“I remember we had this hand-held computer called a Telxon. You could scan any item in the store, and it would tell you the sales and the margin and all sorts of information,” Todd said. “Something about that device, how it unlocked all this information, information that could potentially help forecast or solve problems, it was just so impressive. I fell in love with retail at that point."
Todd Garner, Sam’s Club VP of Product Management
So, what led him to the military?
You could say I watched Top Gun one too many times (although that is about the Navy)," Todd said, laughing. "I’m not saying that’s the complete answer, but it is a true one."
Todd excelled in the Air Force, leading the cadet wing his senior year and graduating with a bachelor’s degree in management. He went on to fighter pilot school for an experience not unlike Top Gun.
"I got to solo subsonic and supersonic acrobatic aircraft trainers," he said, "and while it was a phenomenal experience, I discovered it wasn’t necessarily what fueled my tank."
Todd transitioned into the acquisitions and contracting division, or as he described it, the business side of the Air Force. The career shift took him to Alaska and Afghanistan. Todd’s time in Afghanistan was transformative. It set the standard for how he wanted to serve, lead and impact others – both personally and professionally.
Whether it was starting the first recycling program in Kandahar, stopping hundreds of thousands of gallons of fuel theft or implementing life-saving new approaches for intelligence gathering, Todd said he found his ability to make an impact was only limited by his desire to make a difference. Along with, he said, a willingness to do the work necessary to solve a problem.
"Those lessons," he said, "have stayed with me to this day."
And they have helped guide him in his post-military career, which took him to global consulting firm Bain & Company, Starbucks and Sam’s Club.
"In the Air Force, the core values were integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do," Todd said.
When he joined the Sam’s Club team in December of 2017, Todd couldn’t help but notice some distinct parallels in the four guiding principles for Walmart and Sam’s Club associates: service to the customer, respect for the individual, strive for excellence and act with integrity.
"Those values are central to what we do at Sam’s Club – from growth and development to sustainability and community engagement," Todd said, noting that those values are also central to the way he and his team of 36 product managers approach product development and problem solving and what makes it so rewarding to work for Sam’s Club.
“Rather than focusing on how much we do, we focus on how big our impact is."
Todd Garner, Sam’s Club VP of Product Management
As vice president of in-club product management at Sam’s Club, Todd’s team and the teams he works with have developed and deployed a suite of digital tools to help associates do their jobs quickly and accurately. These tools help provide better shopping experiences and give associates more time for what matters most: connecting directly with members.
"Those daily micro-moments that happen between a member and an associate matter," Todd said.
When Todd and his team can help find digital and data-driven solutions that make associates’ in-the-moment member connections better, faster or even more fun, he added, it’s exciting to see the resulting impact.
"We have an endless opportunity to add value to members and truly help people save money and live better," Todd said. "It’s an incredible honor to continue to serve people through my work at Sam's Club."
Interested in pursuing a career in product development and management? Learn more about Walmart and Sam’s Club’s Product Management Rotational Program (PMRP). PMRP takes interns and Live Better U graduates through an 18-month rotation, introducing them to two different product teams and allowing them to learn supply chain, ecommerce and merchandising skills from the ground up.
