Tracy Dufault of Walmart Named 2025 Presidential Leadership Scholar
Dufault joins a network of leaders making a difference in the world and will learn from the presidential leadership of George W. Bush, William J. Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Lyndon B. Johnson
Tracy Dufault, Senior Vice President of Merchandising Operations, Walmart U.S., has been named one of 57 Scholars who will form the Presidential Leadership Scholars' (PLS) 10th annual class. For the past decade, PLS has brought together more than 500 diverse, established leaders to collaborate and make a difference in the world as they learn about leadership through the lens of the presidential experiences of George W. Bush, William J. Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Lyndon B. Johnson.
The class was selected after a rigorous application and review process. Scholars were chosen based on their leadership growth potential and the strength of their personal leadership projects aimed at addressing a critical challenge or need in a community, profession, or organization.
Tracy's project focuses on assisting veterans in successfully transitioning to the civilian workforce. This will be accomplished by improving hiring processes, onboarding, and cultural adaptation through the integration of two Walmart initiatives: skill-based hiring and a veteran transition course. This course, created in partnership with an Arkansas-based company specializing in veteran transition, is designed to help veterans understand the nuances and differences of integrating into the Walmart culture. It also provides guidance for managers on how to best support their veterans during this transition. Tracy's ultimate goal is to help veterans find purpose in their civilian lives and significantly reduce the rate of veteran suicide.
This project is personal to Tracy as she spent a commendable 10-years in the Army as an Army Aviator. She is a proud graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point with a degree in mechanical engineering. She also holds an M.B.A. from the esteemed Harvard Business School.
"It's an honor to have been selected to participate in an esteemed program where I'll be able to learn and develop leadership principles from our nation's former leaders that will enable me to help our nation's veterans thrive," said Tracy. "Having served in the Army for over a decade, I know firsthand the difficulties veterans face as they re-integrate themselves into civilian life. One such difficulty that I intend to help solve is enabling veterans to find a career that best understands and utilizes their skill set while promoting a sense of purpose and belonging."
"Our goal is to support veterans and military spouses during their service and beyond. We're proud of associates like Tracy joining in this goal, changing the world and showing support for veterans in our nation. As our founder and WWII veteran, Sam Walton said ‘Our people make the difference,'" said Dan Bartlett, Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Walmart. "Tracy is a prime example of answering the call to serve her community."
Tracy began her retail career as a store director at HEB Grocery, followed by six years in product management and grocery procurement as a business development manager in San Antonio, TX. Prior to joining Walmart in 2017, Tracy was a Senior Director with Daymon Worldwide in San Antonio, TX where she successfully managed the HEB account for grocery, meat & seafood, service deli, and general merchandise. Her distinguished career also includes multiple roles at General Mills in Minneapolis, MN in sales and marketing.
In her current role as senior vice president of merchandising operations for Walmart U.S., Tracy leads a team dedicated to supporting Walmart's merchandising organization through business analysis, forecasting, replenishment, pricing, inventory management, space and modular development, and execution. During her time at Walmart, Tracy has also held roles as vice president of merchandising operations for packaged goods and senior vice president of merchandising operations for food.
Beyond her professional commitments, Tracy is deeply involved in her community. She has served as the President of the NWA Youth Hockey Association and is currently the VP of the Board for Sheep Dog Impact Assistance (sheepdogia.org), a national non-profit dedicated to the overall well-being of our nation's Veterans and First Responders. She currently resides in Little Flock, AR, along with her two children and two dogs.
Over the course of the program, Scholars will travel to each participating presidential center to learn from former presidents, key former administration officials, business and civic leaders, and leading academics. They will study and put into practice varying approaches to leadership and exchange ideas to help strengthen their impact.
Scholars have consistently reported remarkable growth in skills, responsibilities, and opportunities for impact since the program began in 2015. For example, 96% of Scholars said their confidence in how they lead social change has improved as a result of PLS, and 97% of Scholars reported they are inspired to accomplish more since beginning the program.
The 2025 program began on Jan. 29.
About Presidential Leadership Scholars
The Presidential Leadership Scholars program is a partnership among the presidential centers of George W. Bush, William J. Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Lyndon B. Johnson. To learn more, visit www.presidentialleadershipscholars.org. For updates about the Presidential Leadership Scholars, use #PLScholars and follow @PLSprogram on LinkedIn, X, and Instagram.
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