Leaders Discuss Legacies at Womens Day Breakfast

“Leaving a Legacy” was the topic of discussion at the 10th annual LPGA Women’s Day breakfast on June 23 at Embassy Suites in Rogers.

The Network of Executive Women (NEW) hosted the event, which was held in conjunction with the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.

There was a discussion panel, consisting of professional golfer Morgan Pressel, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. senior vice president of sustainability Laura Phillips and Walton Family Foundation board member Steuart Walton.

“Legacy is an interesting word because you don’t sit there and say, ‘Hey, let’s start a legacy.’ You have to kind of go about your life and follow your passions,” Pressel said.

For Pressel, that includes golf and inspiring the next generation of golfers. “Golf teaches you a lot about life and can also help you in business,” she said.

She is also dedicated to raising money and awareness for the fight against breast cancer. Her mother died from the disease in 2003. 

 “I joke that I’ve been given a pedestal and a megaphone where I can share my story and hopefully inspire other women to take charge of their health,” Pressel added. “For me, it’s more about honoring my mother’s legacy and her life.”

For Walton, legacy is about carrying on the values of his family, including those of grandfather Sam Walton, Walmart’s founder, and his wife, Helen.

“I hope to build on the legacy that my grandparents left which is quite, for me anyway, profound,” he said. “That is one of continuous improvement and giving more than you get in life.”

One way Steuart Walton gives back is through his work in the home region division of the Walton Foundation, with a focus on cultural amenities, trails and the area’s downtown districts.

“My brother Tom and I like to say that the beating heart in NWA is in our downtowns,” Walton said. “They will hopefully be the real crown jewels for this area.

“Our strategy is in making them all unique — and it starts with good places to eat. We’re looking for culinary strategy in our downtowns,” he added. “Leaving a legacy means making a difference in a way that’s going to benefit folks tomorrow and in the future. That’s kind of how I think about it.”

Phillips stressed the importance of environmental responsibility in leaving a legacy.

“There is such great work that is happening at Walmart,” she said. “We think about sustainability throughout all different areas of our work — our buildings, refrigeration lighting, water, products, supply chains — and we think about it on personal level. Several years ago, we asked all associates to take a personal sustainability challenge and name one thing in their own lives that they could change to really impact their community or themselves and their own personal health.”

She also believes in leaving a legacy by investing in others through mentorship and also by performing at one’s best.

“I always say, “Find something to be famous for,’ whether in business or in giving back,” she said. “… Take it seriously and be good at something. Work at it, build a platform and always try your best.