Forty Under 40: Jim Haworth

by Talk Business & Politics ([email protected]) 223 views 

Jim Haworth, 38, grew up in Centertown, Mo. (population about 300), near Jefferson City. He received a bachelor of science in business administration degree from Central Missouri State University, majoring in business management.

About 10 days after he graduated in 1984, Haworth joined Wal-Mart Stores Inc. as an assistant store manager trainee at store No. 13 in Carthage, Mo.

Haworth rose through the ranks at Wal-Mart, serving as an assistant store manager, manager of stores in Fayetteville and Tulsa, district manager in Ohio, regional vice president and in the merchandising department for Wal-Mart Stores (where he spent a year purchasing women’s apparel and toys).

At the age of 32, Haworth was promoted to senior vice president of operations for Sam’s Club, the wholesale club division of the world’s largest retailer. As a separate entity,

Sam’s Club on its own would be classified as the fifth largest retailer in the United States with $24 billion in revenue last year (expecting $26 billion this year), 466 locations and 85,000 employees.

Prior to his promotion to senior vice president, he served as regional vice president of Sam’s Club Operations.