Former Wal-Mart Official Dies

By The Benton County Daily Record

Posted: November 2, 2009 at 5:27 a.m.

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BENTONVILLE — Paul R. Carter, who retired from Wal-Mart as chief fi nancial o◊cer in 2003, died Saturday after a decade-long battle with cancer. He was 69.

“He died after a well-lived life, surrounded by family and comforted by his faith in God,” son Steve Carter said Sunday.

Diagnosed withrenal-cell carcinoma 11 years ago, the disease became more acute in May, Carter said.

Carter retired from Wal-Mart on Jan. 31, 2003, as vice president, and president of the company’s real estate division. He had also served on the company’s board of directors.

Visitation is from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. today at Bentonville Church of Christ on North Walton Boulevard. Funeral services are at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Bentonville Church of Christ.

“I think of integrity, passion and one who just loves people when I think of Paul Carter,” said Mike Duke, Wal-Mart CEO. Duke was a close friend who worked alongside Carter for a number of years.

“He loved Wal-Mart every minute of every day. Every associate, every customer he came in contact with, he loved every minute of it.”

Dick Mahan of Bentonville, a retired Wal-Mart associate who counted Carter as a friend, held Carter in highest regard.

“Next to my dad, he was one of the fi nest people I’ve ever known in my entire life,” Mahan said Sunday evening. “He was such an inspiration to me, and I know a lot of other people think about Paul the same way.”

Duke agreed with Mahan’s assessment. “The thing that stands out in my mind is passion and integrity.

Mahan said Carter infl uenced everyone around him in a positive way.

“I never heard anyone say anything bad about Paul Carter,” Mahan said. “There are not many people you can say that about. He was just one of those special people who come along, a person who is a true inspiration. And he lived the example his entire life.”

Duke said Carter served Wal-Mart in a special capacity.

“His legacy is the culture that he built on from what Sam Walton created - he took what Sam Walton did and continued to build on it over the years he was here.”

Duke said his favorite memory that involves Carter happened on the last Saturday morning meeting Carter attended before his retirement.

“His retirement speech at that final Saturday morning meeting, he talked about the company culture,” Duke said. “It was a true inspiration for everyone who heard it. His comments that morning just reflected so well on the company and what the company stands for and on what Sam Walton stood for and what Sam Walton created.”

Steve Carter said hisfather’s life was defi ned by his love of God and love of people. He was an active member of the Bentonville Church of Christ for 32 years, serving as an elder for more than 25 of those years. He was an advocate for Christian education, serving on Harding University’s Board of Trustees for 25 years. Steve Carter said his father reflected God’s love by humbly doing good.

Carter was born July 3, 1940, in a small farmhouse in the Coleman community,15 miles south of Monticello.

He is survived by his wife of 51 years, June; his motherin-law Bessie Webb Horton of Bentonville; his brotherin-law and sister-in-law, Kelly and Anna Koonce of Monticello; his brotherin-law, Vanoy Wilbanks of Monticello; his son, Steve Carter and wife Michelle of Bentonville; his daughter, Stephanie Howell of Bentonville; and his son, Sam Carter of Little Rock; seven grandchildren; and a great-grandson.

News, Pages 1 on 11/02/2009

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