Forty Under 40: Steve Fortner,

When North Little Rock native Steve Fortner, 28, graduated from the University of Arkansas with a degree in biology, finding a job in his field proved almost impossible.

Fortunately, he had attended a leadership conference and included it on his resume. The folks at Shaver Foods weren’t interested in the scientist as much as they were in the leader, and Fortner landed his first gig with the company in 2004 as a buyer.

After about a year, he joined PepsiCo as a category analyst in the flavored water and snack categories. In 2006 he started his MBA program at the UA and some classmates introduced him to Unilever. In 2007 he joined the company in retail operations.

Then he was appointed associate category management manager for butter, margarine and spreads categories for Wal-Mart, a $600 million category for the retailer.

Fortner was recently named Unilever’s category adviser for Sam’s Club overseeing olive oil, salad dressing, marinades and other condiments.

Fortner said a goal is to eventually be a national account manager within the supplier community.

When he’s not running sales figures, Fortner likes to train for long distance. He’s completed one marathon — “one of the toughest things I’ve ever had to finish in my entire life” — and looks to one day compete in a triathlon.