Thinking Outside the Box Store

Feeding 6,000 people a day over a six-day period may seem like a huge undertaking—and it is—but for Holly Keeter (corporate events manager for Walmart Corporation) it’s all in a day’s work.

“Food is an experience within itself and can make or break someone’s experience within your event,” she says. “If they leave hungry, they may not have a good experience.”

Mealtime is when a lot of bonding takes place with associates from around the world; it’s their opportunity to not be focused on work, but rather congregate, network, relax and share together. Photo courtesy Walmart Inc. 

It was up to Keeter (with the help of Chartwells at the University of Arkansas) to ensure that the 6,000 Walmart and Sam’s Club associates who descended on the University of Arkansas and the surrounding area for the annual Walmart Associates Week and Shareholders Celebration did indeed receive a good experience.

“It actually gets pretty crazy for us,” says Jack Ervin, Vice President of Operations for Chartwells at the University of Arkansas. “When you bring in a large crowd like this from so many different places, the one thing they have in common is breaking bread.”

Head on over to Special Events to find out how they did it. 

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