BENTONVILLE, AR – Already diving deep into his new role, Sam’s Club’s newest CEO is wasting no time setting a strategic course for the company. As the company looks to hone its services in the competitive market, John Furner has used his first day on the job to outline three focuses for the company moving forward.

“I’m going to be focused on simplifying the business and thinking differently,” stated Furner in a post on Walmart’s website. “We have a lot of hard work and new opportunities ahead of us and each associate at Sam’s Club will play a role in getting us there. I’m thinking about it in terms of three big areas.”

With this shift in leadership, comes a new company-wide focus. Starting today, Furner has placed these facets at the forefront of business and given the following reasons, in his own words, for the company's selections: 

• 1. People – We need to engage everyone, at all levels of the company, in the fight we’re in. We need to put our members first and have everyone pulling in the same direction.
• 2. Product – The products we sell have to be the hero. People don’t shop our clubs for the beautiful buildings–we have concrete floors and steel racks. They come to us for great items, and we must get that right. 
• 3. Digital – I’m committed to accelerating our digital transformation. We saw tremendous growth last year with SamsClub.com, Club Pickup, and Scan & Go. We must continue to move with speed in this space, and use member data and insights to quickly adapt and meet the needs of the increasingly digital consumer.

Furner, who started with Sam’s Club’s parent in 1993, stated that Walmart has always been in his blood. Furner’s father also worked for Walmart, and his family received support from the company when Furner’s mother became ill.

“As I transition into this new role, I’m going to do a lot of listening, especially to the associates closest to our members. Like Sam said, ‘listen to everyone in your company,’” Furner continued. 

Furner also credited a stint as Walmart’s Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer in China for part of the professional gumption that brought him to his current role.

“I feel like I’ve learned the business of Walmart U.S., Sam’s Club, and Walmart International from the bottom up,” said Furner. 

As Sam’s Club turns its focus to people, product, and digital endeavors, where will these strategies find the company in the future market? AndNowUKnow will keep you updated.

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