Forty Under 40: Kevin Turner

Wal-Mart has been a way of life for Kevin Turner. Turner, 37, began working as a cashier for Wal-Mart in 1985 in his hometown of Ada, Okla. He rose through the ranks there to customer service manager, housewares department manager and head office cashier, all while working his way through college.

In 1987, Turner earned a bachelor’s degree in business with an emphasis in management from East Central University in Ada.

The next year, he joined Wal-Mart’s internal audit department. Two years later, Turner joined the company’s Information Systems Division, where he has been ever since, working his way up from business analyst, strategy manager, director and assistant chief information officer for ISD until February 2000.

At that time, Turner became chief information officer overseeing operation of the ISD worldwide. The division has about 2,000 employees in Bentonville. Wal-Mart is famous for its sophisticated data-tracking system, which is part of the ISD.

“The largest asset we have inside Information Systems is not the technology,” Turner said. “It’s the people who are able to run and maximize that technology.”

Turner said there’s always room for improvement and “the best ideas come from the people who do the work.”