Andrea Thomas

Andrea Thomas is the senior vice president of sustainability for Walmart.  She is a 1993 graduate of the Brigham Young University MBA program.  [1]  Her undergraduate degree is in public relations from the University of Utah.

Thomas went to work after earning her undergraduate degree at a public relations firm in order to finance her husband’s schooling.  After her husband graduated, he paid her way through the MBA program.  After finishing the program, Thomas was recruited to PepsiCo and worked in the Pizza Hut and Frito-Lay divisions in brand management, innovation, and retail marketing and promotions.  During her tenure at PepsiCo, Thomas’ husband expressed the desire to become a stay-at-home dad.  This arrangement is not altogether typical for a Mormon woman, but it has worked well for this Mormon family.

Thomas worked for PepsiCo for 13 years.  She was then offered a job as vice president of global innovations at The Hershey Co.  Shortly after her move to Hershey, Wal-Mart offered her a job as senior vice president of private brands for brands like Great Value, Equate and Parent’s Choice. In the fall of 2010 she was asked to be the senior vice president of sustainability.

Thomas has 12 people on her team and travels widely, working with policymakers around the globe and non-government organizations.    Walmart has 48 sustainability goals, including creating zero waste, being powered by renewable energy and selling products that sustain people and the environment.  Walmart’s goals have influenced the companies that supply its products to become greener.  Thomas knows she can have an effect on people’s lives — 200 million people shop at Walmart stores every week.

“She is one of the most personable people I have ever met,” said Ronald Malouf, an NAC member from Dallas. “If you were to go up to her, you would immediately feel like you were her friend…. When you hear her, you understand you have capacities that you can use and that you can bless other people’s life with.” [1]