Arvest Bank executive Don Walker dies
Don Walker went to work for The Bank of Bentonville (known today as Arvest Bank) in February 1978.
Longtime Arvest Bank executive Don Walker has died. He was regional executive when he retired from the Fayetteville-chartered bank in January 2020. The banker was first hired into banking by Sam Walton.
Walker spent five years in that role to complete a 42-year career with Arvest, which included helping to form the Arvest name and create its mission statement. He also was president and CEO for its Bentonville, Siloam Springs and Tulsa, Okla., markets.
Walmart founder Sam Walton hired Walker in February 1978 as a loan officer at The Bank of Bentonville. It was the largest bank in a holding company that’s still controlled by the Waltons and known today as Arvest Bank Group Inc.
During Walker’s tenure, Arvest grew from 100 employees and eight Arkansas branches to about 6,400 employees and 280 offices in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. According to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., the bank’s total assets exceeded $26.2 billion as of June 30.
Following is a statement from Kevin Sabin, chairman and CEO of Arvest Bank: “Don Walker exemplified the values that define Arvest Bank. His unwavering commitment to his colleagues, customers and community left a lasting mark on all who had the privilege of working with him. He was a great friend to so many of us, and he will be deeply missed.”
Before his retirement, Walker reflected on his career in an interview with the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal. He was 68 at that time.
“We’ve built an extraordinarily successful company, a large company,” he said in 2019. “I am so proud of the people who are leading it, and I will enjoy watching them continue to develop this company. That’s what I will reminisce about and be proud of.”
Walker grew up on a cattle and poultry farm in Washington County. He earned a poultry science degree from the University of Arkansas in 1974. He worked for Tyson Foods before he pivoted to finance with the Federal Land Bank. He spent four years there before joining The Bank of Bentonville (Arvest).
Following his retirement, he remained active on various boards, including the Arkansas Alumni Association, Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, John Brown University, and Boy Scouts of America, Westark Area Council.