Forty Under 40: Corey Williamson

In sweltering south Arkansas, a teenage Corey Williamson knelt to repair a large tire outside his stepdad’s shop — a shop he aspired to run someday.

Suddenly a boot kicked the tire, and he heard his stepfather’s urgent voice: “Go get an education. You don’t want to do this the rest of your life.”

At that time, no one on either side of Williamson’s family had earned a college degree. But Williamson’s father managed Kroger stores, and he always admired his dad’s work. He enrolled at the University of Central Arkansas to study marketing and found a job sweeping floors in the kitchen where they made Stoby’s cheese dip. Gradually, he became involved in other aspects of the business, such as ordering and hiring, under the leadership of a man he considered a great mentor, the late Dan Hooten. Williamson grew to love the competitive nature of the food industry. He took a job with ConAgra Foods and in 2005 joined Rich Products Corp.

Williamson became national account manager for Sam’s Club and Walmart accounts. In 2006, he won the company’s Spirit of Innovation award and in 2007 was National Account Manager of the Year. He spent two years in Northern California handling West Coast customers such as Costco and Safeway and growing regional sales by more than $20 million. “That stretched me, learning new retailers, but the biggest thing I gained was a new perspective of life here in Arkansas,” Williamson said. He now directs sales over the western region and special markets from Bentonville. His positive and competitive nature makes him a top young talent for the company.

As the Rich family owns the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, Williamson enjoyed serving as promotion coordinator for two years, designing various games and promotions. Williamson also has two grandparents with diabetes, and he raised $38,000 for the American Diabetes Association to win the “Kiss A Pig” charity fundraiser in 2011.