Forty Under 40: Joshua Allen

Joshua Allen is an expert in risk and crisis: making plans to avoid risks and managing dire situations when they arise.

He honed these skills in the military and applied them while protecting diplomats in more than 120 countries on behalf of the state department. Now he helps ensure safety for associates and operations across the globe for Walmart.

Born near Atkins into a blue-collar family, Allen had a natural inclination to be a protector. In the U.S. Marine Corps, he pursued the specialty of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense. Allen enlisted just before 9/11 and was deployed several times during the war on terrorism. He obtained a degree in counterterrorism studies from the American Military University.

In 2007, he joined the U.S. Department of State’s Weapons of Mass Destruction Countermeasures Division, training diplomats and their staff in how to protect themselves during disasters and incidents. He assisted with the management of crises, including the Arab Spring.

At Walmart, he developed and manages Walmart’s travel risk management program, TravelSafe, which benefits 500,000 global business travelers annually.

“A good crisis manager knows what you can’t do anything about, and knows how to focus through a situation and get back to normal as soon as possible,” he said. “I have always had the calling and desire to serve, whether it be my country, my company and its associates at Walmart, or my community here at home.”