BENTONVILLE, AR — January 11, 2023 — (NOTICIAS NEWSWIRE) — After an illustrious career spanning more than three decades in corporate America, including over 15 years at the world’s largest retailer, Walmart, Tony Waller has launched his new weekly podcast “Hanging Out In My Closet.” Created as a space for learning, growing, and unloading what holds us back, “Hanging Out In My Closet” is the latest achievement in Waller’s storied and celebrated career. He currently serves as Vice President of Constituent Relations and Racial Equity at Walmart.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Waller identifies as gay, Latino, and Black.
Identity is central to his podcast as he explains: “Historically the closet has been a place of storing what is precious, a place of hiding, a place for keeping secrets. But in my closet, I want us to spend time hanging out, learning, growing, and unloading what holds us back. I want us to work together to heal and to be the best we can be for ourselves and for others. Come and hang out in my closet.”
In his inaugural 13-episode season, Waller takes on thought-provoking topics such as “Lessons from my Mother,” “Growing Up in Puerto Rico,” “Vulnerability,” “Forgiveness,” and more, in the inspirational and motivating tone that has become his signature. Waller has spent his career building bridges across diverse communities and within premier blue-chip brands. At Walmart he sets strategy for driving reputation, augmenting outreach opportunities, and maximizing social investments in diverse and multicultural communities. His portfolio includes the African American, Hispanic, Asian American & Pacific Islander and Native American communities as well as Women, LGBTQIA+, People with Disabilities and Emerging Generations.
Waller is also tasked with being a critical “integrator” engaging across Corporate Affairs teams, with real depth in helping to shape public policy, communication strategy, federal and state government relations, and community relations through a racial equity lens. Additionally, he and his team help lead efforts to expand the company’s racial equity work across all the diverse and multicultural communities of focus.
His passion for the empowerment and advancement of women has led him to serve on the Board of Trustees of the Center for Asian Pacific American Women. Waller also served on the Board of Directors of the National African American Women’s Leadership Institute. With both organizations he was the first male ever selected to serve. In 2017 Tony was elected Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Black Child Development Institute. In 2020 he was asked by the Mayor of Bentonville, Arkansas to serve on the city’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Board. He recently joined the Board of Directors of Soles4Souls.
“Hanging Out In My Closet” is available to listen to on-demand on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and other audio listening platforms. New episodes are released weekly on Mondays. A video version of each podcast is also uploaded on Waller’s social media accounts, including his Instagram account @the1solesearcher.
For more information about the podcast or for inquiries, please contact Juan Alanis at juan@marketstreetconsultants.com or (832) 859-4207.
About Tony Waller
Tony Waller is Vice President, Constituent Relations and Racial Equity for Walmart in Bentonville, Arkansas. In his position he sets strategy for driving reputation, augmenting outreach opportunities, and maximizing social investments in diverse and multicultural communities. His portfolio includes the African American, Hispanic, Asian American & Pacific Islander and Native American communities as well as Women, LGBTQIA+, People with Disabilities and Emerging Generations. Tony is also tasked with being a critical “integrator” engaging across Corporate Affairs teams, with real depth in helping to shape public policy, communication strategy, federal and state government relations, and community relations through a racial equity lens. Additionally, Tony and his team help lead efforts to expand the company’s racial equity work across all the diverse and multicultural communities of focus. Tony joined Walmart in December 2006.
Serving is extremely important to Tony. He has always been taught that to give real service you must add to the world something that cannot be bought or measured with money. He currently serves as Chair of the NAACP ACT-SO Advisory Council. His passion for the empowerment and advancement of women, has led him to serve on the Board of Trustees of Center for Asian Pacific American Women. Tony also served on the Board of Directors of the National African American Women’s Leadership Institute. With both organizations he was the first male ever selected to serve. In 2017 Tony was elected Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Black Child Development Institute. In 2020 he was asked by the Mayor of Bentonville, Arkansas to serve on the city’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Board.
Tony is a strong supporter of the arts and fashion. He serves on the Board of Directors and the Corporate Leadership Council of the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He is also a member of the Board of Directors for Interform, an organization focused on self-sustaining design-led fashion and art industry in Northwest Arkansas. In addition, Tony serves on the advisory board of Spring clean, a nonprofit social enterprise whose mission is to create jobs and reduce landfill space by repurposing donated textile materials. A graduate of the University of Virginia, he is a diehard WAHOO. He remains very active with the university and served on the board of the Walter N. Ridley Scholarship Fund, named after its first African American graduate. He is a passionate collector of Black art & sculpture, Latina art, antique watches, vintage cufflinks, eyewear, children’s story books and quotes. Shoes however are his kryptonite. Tony strives to live each and every day by the words of his mother, Barbara Jean Motley Waller, “Keep flowing with The River for The River knows exactly where It is going.”