Brown to lead Walmart’s continued commitment to diversity and inclusion
BENTONVILLE, Ark., June 22, 2009 – Walmart has announced the appointment of L. Mecole “Cole” Brown to Chief Diversity Officer. Brown will be responsible for the oversight and coordination of the diversity strategy for Walmart’s U.S. business.
Brown joined Walmart’s legal team in 2002 and has held senior positions in Sam’s Club and Walmart’s Office of Diversity. Brown was appointed to Vice President of Employment Practices in August 2007.
“As someone who has worked closely with Cole since she joined Walmart, I am proud that her hard work, leadership skills and commitment to her fellow associates has put her in the position to lead one of our company’s most important efforts-- becoming a best-in-class model for diversity and inclusion,” said Tom Mars, executive vice president and chief administrative officer, Walmart U.S. “Under Cole’s leadership, I’m confident we will accelerate and expand our continued commitment to diversity.”
Brown succeeds Charlyn Jarrells Porter, who served as the company's first Chief Diversity Officer from 2004 to 2009. Porter was instrumental in helping lead the company in a number of important diversity initiatives. Porter announced her retirement in March, after more than 16 years with the company.
In addition to her new role, Brown will continue to be responsible for the implementation of some of the company’s most important employment practices initiatives.
For more information on Walmart and its commitment to diversity and inclusion, please visit www.walmartstores.com/diversity.
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About Walmart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) serves customers and members more than 200 million times per week at more than 7,900 retail units under 55 different banners in 15 countries. With fiscal year 2009 sales of $401 billion, Walmart employs more than 2.1 million associates worldwide. A leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity, Walmart ranked first among retailers in Fortune Magazine’s 2009 Most Admired Companies survey. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting www.walmartstores.com. Online merchandise sales are available at www.walmart.com and www.samsclub.com.