James 'Jim' Carr Walton is an American businessman, the billionaire Chairman of Arvest Bank Group and an heir to the Walmart fortune. His colossal wealth is generational, tied to the empire co-founded by his father, Sam Walton (d. 1992), in 1962. Born in Newport, Arkansas, in 1948, he grew up learning the family business firsthand.

Walton graduated with a B.S. in Marketing from the University of Arkansas in 1971. His career is defined by generational stewardship and diversification into the essential banking, media, and real estate sectors, which underpin the core Walmart retail business. He, along with his siblings, collectively owns half of all Walmart stock.

• Walmart (Family Heir): The foundational source of his wealth, the world's largest retailer. He owns a massive equity stake (over $114 billion estimated net worth in May 2025).
• Arvest Bank Group (Chairman & CEO): The major financial asset, one of the largest regional banks in Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma (with over $20 billion in assets).
• Philanthropy: He is a major donor to the Walton Family Foundation, focusing on K-12 education, conservation, and Northwest Arkansas development (pledging $2 billion).
• Media Holdings: He was Chairman of Community Publishers Inc. (CPI) (a community newspaper and commercial printer).

Jim Walton joined Walmart in 1972 (in real estate operations) before moving to the family's umbrella corporation, Walton Enterprises, in 1975. His strategic focus shifted to banking: he became Chairman and CEO of Arvest Bank Group, which expanded through strategic acquisitions of local banks (e.g., Bank of America locations in 2013). Arvest is now the largest bank in Arkansas by deposits.

His structural contribution is immense: the Walton Family Foundation, where he is a key figure, has donated billions, pioneering the Charter Impact Fund to provide loans to high-performing charter schools and significantly investing in Northwest Arkansas. His wealth is secured by the colossal, stable, and continuous profitability of the global retail and financial services empire.

Jim Walton's social impact is massive and structural, stemming from Walmart's role as the world's largest private employer and his family's foundations. The Walton Family Foundation's focus on K-12 education reform (charter schools), conservation (protecting rivers and oceans), and economic development in Northwest Arkansas are major structural contributions to U.S. social and economic policy.

His structural contribution is tied to the long-term, stable management of the Walmart empire and his influential role in the U.S. financial and media sectors.

Jim Walton maintains the simple, composed style of a traditional Arkansas businessman. His attire is consistently pragmatic and unostentatious, reflecting the Sam Walton family's famous frugality. His aesthetic is one of stability and immense financial power, with a quiet public persona.

Residing in Bentonville, Arkansas, his luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to banking, philanthropy, and the long-term stewardship of the Walton family legacy.