Marc Penterman left a 20-year career in the Air Force to land a job at Walmart in Phoenix. Now, he’s quickly moving up the ladder in his “encore” profession. 

Initially, he was hired as assistant manager overseeing Home Lines where he quickly adjusted to being in charge. Eight months later, he’s now responsible for a team that restocks the shelves at the store.  

“When I started working at Walmart less than a year ago, they gave me a veteran badge to wear and it made me very proud,” said Penterman, who was a security force officer in the Air Force. “The badge is like a medal of honor. When both customers and employees see it, they treat me with such warmth and thank me for my service.” 

Penterman is one of 265,000 veterans who have been hired by Walmart since it 

introduced its Veterans Welcome Home Commitment in 2013, surpassing its goal to hire  250,000 new veteran associates by 2020. In Arizona, more than 6,400 have been hired

Hiring and promoting those who serve 

The Welcome Home program started as a mission to hire those who served their country and help them move up the career ladder, said Brynt Parmeter, senior director for Walmart Military Programs. 

Of the veterans hired, more than 44,000 have been promoted to roles of greater responsibility within a Walmart or Sam’s Club.

First announced on Memorial Day 2013, the Welcome Home program’s initial goal was to hire 100,000 veterans by the end of 2018. Two years later, the company expanded that goal to 250,000 by the end of 2020.

On Veterans Day 2018, Walmart also broadened the scope of its commitment to provide  employment opportunities for spouses with its Military Spouses Career Connection. To date, the company has hired 19,045 associates and continues offering any military spouse hiring preference when applying for a job.

Stepping up its commitment to veterans  

Parmeter is now looking to step up Walmart’s commitment to veterans and the communities they serve. He said his team is focusing on efforts to help veterans and their family members in employment, entrepreneurship, learning, and health and wellness. 

“We’re proud of our achievements and the opportunities presented to the brave service members who’ve honorably defended our country,” Parmeter said. “Now, it’s our responsibility to continue preparing these men and women for meaningful futures full of economic opportunity and overall well-being.”

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have a long history of supporting veterans, service members and their families. 

Since 2011, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have invested more than $40 million in programs that support job training, education and public/private community-based initiatives.

About Walmart in Arizona 

In Arizona, Walmart has 126 retail units and 33,616 employees. Last fiscal year,  Walmart spent $1.6 billion with Arizona suppliers, supporting 32,767 Arizona supplier jobs. 

During that time, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation contributed more than $24.5 million in cash and in-kind donations to local nonprofits in Arizona. 

For more information about Walmart’s commitment to hire and promote veterans, service members and military families, visit:  .To see all of the programs that Walmart is involved in to help veterans in communities worldwide, go to:

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A Gilbert Walmart store hosted this holiday season’s annual Operation Santa Claus Charity Drive, in which community members donate toys and other gifts in exchange for a chance to win a new car.

is a nonprofit charity that collects donations for many Valley charities, including St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance, Special Olympics Arizona, Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (), Military Assistance Mission and Chicanos Por La Causa.

The 19th annual drive took place at the Walmart Supercenter at SanTan Village Marketplace in Gilbert on Saturday, Nov. 23. The event was called “Operation Santa Claus – Stuff the Sleigh” and sponsored by , Sanderson Ford and Sanderson Lincoln.

A large cutout of Santa’s sleigh was outside the Walmart for photos, and children could take photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus as well as a large Coca-Cola polar bear mascot.

Walmart employees were joined by representatives from KNIX 102.5, the local country music radio station; ABC15; Chicanos Por La Causa; SARRC; and , a local nonprofit focused on inspiring positive change by investing in health and human services, especially for the Valley’s Hispanic community.

The Walmart was busy that Saturday morning, and customers leaving the store frequently approached the Operation Santa Claus bins with just-purchased toys, games, books and food — all to go directly to community charities.

“What we do is, at SARRC, we help the needy families in the Valley with disabilities,” said Addie Mocca, a volunteer coordinator for SARRC for almost 16 years. “A lot of those families can afford services for disabilities, but they can’t afford Christmas.”

SARRC has helped 300 families a year through Operation Santa Claus for the 14 years it has been involved with the cause, Mocca said — more than 4,000 families.

“We collect toys, food, clothes, and then we give them to these families in need just before Christmas so they can have a Christmas,” she said. “Very generous — Valley of the Sun — very generous people.”

As an incentive to donate, Sanderson Ford and Sanderson Lincoln each donated a vehicle — a 2019 Ford F-150 SuperCrew truck and a 2019 Lincoln MKZ luxury sedan, respectively, each valued at more than $40,000 — to go to two lucky winning donors.

The contest asks participants to bring non-perishable foods, new toys, child-sized clothing and money as donations.

“For every donation you make, you get to fill out a slip for a drawing, and then we draw out 50 finalists; each finalist gets a $100 Visa card and a one-in-50 chance of winning a new Ford F-150 SuperCrew or a Lincoln MKZ,” said Max Sirstins, the director of advertising for Sanderson Ford and Sanderson Lincoln for almost 19 years.

Sirstins has been dubbed the “father” of Operation Santa Claus — he has helped organize the drive in various parts of the country since 1986, more than 30 years.

“I’ve done it in California, in Salt Lake City; a couple places in Arizona,” he said. But when I got to Sanderson and took it there, it made a big difference.”

Sirstins said the drive has received broad support from local radio and television stations such as ABC15, 98KUPD, KNIX 102.5, as well as national and international brands like radio station owner Bonneville International; the free broadcast, podcast and radio platform iHeartRadio; and St. Paul, Minn.-based Hubbard Broadcasting.

“It’s the biggest charity drive in the state,” Sirstins said. “The last two years, we’ve raised over $1 million with the value of the toys, clothes, money donations and food.”

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