Forty Under 40: Steve Adair

Steve Adair, 31, grew up in Bentonville. He earned a bachelors degree in business from the University of Arkansas in 1995. Two years later, he received his MBA from the University of Miami in Florida.

That same year, Adair came home to Northwest Arkansas to work for Ralston Purina in Fayetteville, and he has remained with the company ever since.

Initially, Adair was a business analyst on an eight-person team that worked closely with the home office of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in Bentonville.

After one year as an analyst, Adair became a business development manager for Ralston Purinas international division. In that role, he was dedicated to Wal-Mart international business and traveled to Wal-Mart stores in Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, the United Kingdom and Germany.

After a year and a half in that position, Adair moved to Dallas as an accounting manager for Ralston Purina. In 2000, he moved to Cincinnati, where he was responsible for sales for the territory east of the Rocky Mountains.

In 2001, Nestl purchased Ralston Purina and changed the name to Nestl Purina Pet Care Co.

In early 2002, Adair moved back to Fayetteville to be team leader over the domestic business merchandising group.