James Carr Walton, known as Jim Walton, (born June 7, 1948) is an American businessman and heir to the Walmart fortune, the world’s largest retailer. As of May 2025, Walton is ranked as the 12th-richest person globally, with a net worth of $114.1 billion according to Forbes. He is the youngest son of Walmart founder Sam Walton.
Early Life
Jim Walton was born in Newport, Arkansas, the third child of Sam Walton (1918–1992) and Helen Walton (1919–2007). He has three siblings: Rob Walton, Alice Walton, and the late John Walton (1946–2005).
Walton attended Bentonville High School, graduating in 1965. During his school years, he served as junior class president, excelled in football at the all-state level, and learned to fly a plane. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a focus on Marketing from the University of Arkansas in 1971, where he was a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.
After college, Walton joined Walmart in 1972, focusing on real estate operations. In 1975, he became president of the family-owned Walton Enterprises.
Career
On September 28, 2005, Jim Walton joined the Walmart Board of Directors, replacing his late brother John Walton. He previously served as CEO of Arvest Bank, a family-owned financial institution, before becoming its chairman. He also chairs Community Publishers Inc. (CPI), a newspaper company founded by his father after acquiring the Benton County Daily Record, which operates in Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
Between 2008 and 2013, Walton and his siblings pledged approximately $2 billion to the Walton Family Foundation. In September 2016, he owned over 152 million Walmart shares, valued at more than $11 billion at the time.
Personal Life
Jim Walton is married to Lynne McNabb Walton, and the couple has four children: Alice A. “Annie” Proietti (born 1979), Steuart Walton (born 1981), Thomas Layton “Tom” Walton (born 1983), and James M. Walton (born 1987). The family resides in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Over the years, Walton’s wealth has grown steadily. In 2014, Forbes ranked him #10 on the billionaire list with a net worth of $34.7 billion. By 2019, he was the 16th-richest person globally with $45.7 billion. As of September 28, 2024, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index listed him at #17 with a net worth of $102 billion, reflecting a year-to-date increase of $29.8 billion.
Jim Walton continues to be an influential figure in both Walmart’s operations and broader business and philanthropic ventures, maintaining the Walton family legacy while contributing to regional banking, media, and charitable initiatives.