WASHINGTON — The National Retail Federation will recognize Walmart president and chief executive officer Doug McMillon as “The Visionary,” an annual award honoring outstanding retail industry leaders

The award will be presented to McMillon at the 2018 NRF Foundation Gala on Jan. 14 in New York City.

Doug McMillon

“From risk-taking acquisitions like Jet.com to investing in the future of the industry by prioritizing workforce solutions and spearheading initiatives that empower businesses to be a force for good, Doug McMillon’s leadership has kept Walmart at the forefront of innovation,” said NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay.

“Doug McMillon is a homegrown talent at Walmart who has spent his entire career rotating through different roles to better understand the business. His diversity in experience has created a leader who ensures that the world’s largest company remains a pioneer that sets the pace for retailers around the world.”

The Visionary is awarded annually to a leader with a long record of spearheading change in the retail industry. Each year, prominent retail executives identify an individual who has changed and continues to transform retail in a major way.

“We strive to be a purpose-driven company, and we work to make every day easier for busy families. This is an exciting time to be in retail, as customers are more connected than ever. We’re having fun thinking of new and innovative ways to serve them and to save them not only money but time,” McMillon said. “I’m proud of the team we have in place, and I’d like to thank our associates, because they are the ones serving customers every day and doing the work that is being recognized by the NRF, and for that we are truly humbled.”

McMillon leads a management team that he said works to deliver on Walmart’s mission of “saving people money so they can live better.” He added that under his leadership, Walmart is bringing together its stores, logistics network and digital commerce capabilities in new ways to empower customers to shop whenever, wherever and however they want.

In 1984, McMillon worked as an hourly summer associate in a Walmart distribution center, and in 1990, while pursuing his MBA, he rejoined the company as an assistant manager in a Tulsa, Okla., store before moving to merchandising.

He went on to serve in senior leadership roles in all of Walmart’s business segments. From 2006 to 2009, he served as president and CEO of Sam’s Club, which had annual sales of more than $46 billion during his tenure. From February 2009 to February 2014, he was president and CEO of Walmart International, which has more than 6,400 stores and nearly 800,000 associates in 26 countries outside the United States. He became president and CEO of the entire company in February 2014.