Summary
In this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell sits down with Cindi Marsiglio, Senior Vice President for Corporate Real Estate at Walmart. With over two decades of experience in corporate real estate and government affairs, Cindi is at the forefront of Walmart’s monumental new home office located in Bentonville. She brings a wealth of insight from overseeing the mammoth task of managing Walmart’s office space across the United States, solidifying her as a leader who plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of Bentonville’s thriving community. Throughout the conversation, Cindi shares the significance and intent behind Walmart’s cutting edge, open-concept campus, the sustainability efforts it’s championing and how it’s transforming the way we live, work and play in the Greater Bentonville Area.
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Show Notes
Timestamps in this blog are for the audio-only version of the podcast; video timing differs.
(0:54) Introduction to Cindi Marsiglio
(3:35) Cindi’s Role as Senior Vice President for Corporate Real Estate
(6:46) How Walmart’s New Campus Fits Its Goals
(10:25) Walmart’s New Campus’ Work Atmosphere
(15:57) The Sustainability of Walmart’s New Campus
(20:31) The Opening Timeline of Walmart’s New Campus
(24:53) About the Walton Family Whole Health and Fitness Center
(30:26) The Open Campus Design of Walmart’s New Home Office
(34:45) How Bentonville Helps Cindi and Her Family and Her Family Live Their Best Lives
(39:53) Cindi’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(41:56) Advice for Tackling Challenges to Propel Careers
(50:03) Closing Questions
Links
Bentonville Economic Development @ Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce
Quotes
“[Walmart’s new campus] is part of our overall aspiration to provide really great jobs with really great benefits. And part of that is to have a home office campus that is fit for the future. We want to retain great talent and attract new great talent…because Bentonville has been our home, staying in Bentonville was a fairly straightforward decision for us. We knew this was a place we wanted to continue to build the future of our global company, and that Bentonville was going to partner with us and go along on that journey with us.” – Cindi Marsiglio, (7:00)
“…it is about a mile from the downtown Bentonville square, and so it very much is in the heart of the Bentonville community. We have businesses and residents living on every edge of the campus and it’s a unique open environment. And so you want to be very much thoughtful about how you positively impact the community as a whole.” – Cindi Marsiglio, (10:52)
“…even more important than that, for me, is Bentonville’s evolution to becoming a much more broad, evolving, thoughtfully inclusive community so that people who visit here or choose to build a life and have a family or have a career here, it’s a journey that we’re on together. And I can play my own unique role, my family can play a unique role. But I think we can all find a place inside the community to be additive to that. I think it’s very unique, and I think Bentonville’s desire to be the best Bentonville we can allows us to chart that path.” – Cindi Marsiglio, (36:11)
A New Era for Walmart: Inside the New Home Office Project with Cindi Marsiglio
In this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell sits down with Cindi Marsiglio, Senior Vice President for Corporate Real Estate at Walmart. With over two decades of experience in corporate real estate and government affairs, Cindi is at the forefront of Walmart’s monumental new home office located in Bentonville. She brings a wealth of insight from overseeing the mammoth task of managing Walmart’s office space across the United States, solidifying her as a leader who plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of Bentonville’s thriving community. Throughout the conversation, Cindi shares the significance and intent behind Walmart’s cutting edge, open-concept campus, the sustainability efforts it’s championing and how it’s transforming the way we live, work and play in the Greater Bentonville Area.
“…it is about a mile from the downtown Bentonville square, and so it very much is in the heart of the Bentonville community. We have businesses and residents living on every edge of the campus and it’s a unique open environment. And so you want to be very much thoughtful about how you positively impact the community as a whole.” – Cindi Marsiglio, (10:52)
Creating an Innovative Workspace
Walmart’s new home office in Bentonville signifies more than just an expansion; it represents the company’s intent to retain and attract talent while being able to provide an innovation-driven workspace that improves the quality of life of the surrounding community. The upcoming campus, covering three-hundred-and-fifty acres, will feature a blend of twelve office buildings, various amenities including a food hall, auditorium, conference center and hotel and a health center emphasizing the Walton family’s legacy of advocating for health and well-being.
The design of the new campus will integrate with the surrounding natural beauty, integrating over five thousand native plants and trees. Additionally, the new campus’ design encourages and supports active commuting and transportation with more than seven miles of connected paths and trails, including a direct connection to the Razorback greenway.
“[Walmart’s new campus] is part of our overall aspiration to provide really great jobs with really great benefits. And part of that is to have a home office campus that is fit for the future. We want to retain great talent and attract new great talent…because Bentonville has been our home, staying in Bentonville was a fairly straightforward decision for us. We knew this was a place we wanted to continue to build the future of our global company, and that Bentonville was going to partner with us and go along on that journey with us.” – Cindi Marsiglio, (7:00)
Charting a Positive Future
The ongoing campus project is set to open in phases throughout 2025 and will integrate seamlessly into the Bentonville landscape, reassuring its associates and the community that white it’s at the forefront of global retail, it remains intimately connected to its roots. Its completion will showcase Walmart’s commitment to being a regenerative company with sustainability initiatives focusing on zero waste, zero emissions and renewable energy.
The strategic development of the new campus aims to foster transformative change in Bentonville by entwining community collaboration and the company’s people-led and tech-powered approach to foster a brighter, more inclusive future. The campus’ open-concept serves to demystify the corporate image and invites the surrounding Bentonville community to witness and participate in Walmart’s continued evolution.
“…even more important than that, for me, is Bentonville’s evolution to becoming a much more broad, evolving, thoughtfully inclusive community so that people who visit here or choose to build a life and have a family or have a career here, it’s a journey that we’re on together. And I can play my own unique role, my family can play a unique role. But I think we can all find a place inside the community to be additive to that. I think it’s very unique, and I think Bentonville’s desire to be the best Bentonville we can allows us to chart that path.” – Cindi Marsiglio, (36:11)
Get Connected!
Thank you for tuning into this episode of The Bentonville Beacon! Join us weekly for more stories and advice from the entrepreneurs, business executives and community leaders who are sparking the rise of the Greater Bentonville Area. If you are interested in discussing whether your business should have a presence in Greater Bentonville or would like to discuss this podcast, please contact James Bell. You may reach James at jbell@greaterbentonville.com or (479) 273-2841.
Links for Additional Mentions
Walmart Pushing for Healthy Worker Commutes (Leaders)
Walmart Rolls Out Bike Program (NWA Democrat Gazette)
How We are Working to Make the New Campus More Sustainable (Walmart)
Walmart Opens Massive Fitness Center on Arkansas Campus (FOX Business)
Child Care and Fitness Facility Plans for New Walmart Home Office campus (KNWA)
Walmart to Invest in AC Marriott Hotel on Home Campus (TB&P)
Walmart Headquarters Reveal Plans for Sam Walton Hall (AMP)
Snoop Dogg at Walmart Home (@toptiermedia__)
Paris Hilton at Store 100 in Bentonville (@bentonvillearkansas)
