Northwest Arkansas Business Journal 2009 Fast 15: Lacy J. May

Lacy J. May, 26
Human Resources Project Manager
Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Bentonville

Claim to Fame: In 2007, May moved to New York City for two months to aid brand acquisition strategy for Wal-Mart’s apparel division.

Next Step: “I build around my strengths and not promotions. If I pinned myself into one move, I might let an opportunity pass me by.”

Lacy May has been working above her age since she drew her first paycheck.

At 14, her mother got her a job at the University of Arkansas bookstore and May said the work had much to teach her.

“It has set me up for my success,” she said. “When I was so young in a job, I had to work as if I was not young to get respect and be professional. I don’t let age or title name who I am.”

As a broadcast journalism major at the UA, graduating in 2004, May also learned the value of the “woo” factor – winning others over. She found the communication and community skills she learned translated to the human resources world.

“The job responsibilities went hand in hand with what I learned in college,” she said. “It’s about building relationships.”

May has worked for Wal-Mart since graduation, starting as an HR coordinator before being promoted to project manager, a role that has encompassed several positions.

Her supervisor for the last three years, senior people director Michele Australie, said in some ways May is a typical Gen Y personality. May prefers a flexible work schedule and doesn’t mind leaving work at the office, saying she’d eliminate the old school 8-5 work day.

But May is no by-the-book representative of her generation, Australie said, even if her compromise between an iPhone or a BlackBerry is to have both.

“A lot of Gen Y’ers are not willing to earn their stripes,” Australie said. “But no task is too menial or too small or too beneath her to do it. The benefit to that is she is also doing tasks way ahead of her. She is willing to do whatever it takes to learn or grow and she knows she will be rewarded.

“Many want to be rewarded without the work.”

The work is May’s focus, she said, not her next promotion.

“I build around my strengths and not promotions,” May said. “If I pinned myself into one move, I might let an opportunity pass me by.

“I want to create myself as a brand, someone they come to first.”

(RELATED: Northwest Arkansas Business Journal’s 15 Young Pros on the Fast Track)