Not What You Do, But How You Do It
Business Leader John David Rainey is driven by the values of doing good for the world and giving back to the university that helped shape him.
By Justin Walker
John Rainey, BBA ’93, MBA ’95
Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President; Walmart
Bentonville, Arkansas
For John David Rainey, there is more to business than just doing well by your customers and stakeholders. It is about doing good for the world at large.
The Angleton, Texas, native has made it his life’s work to do both in his personal and professional endeavors. As the chief financial officer and executive vice president at Walmart, Rainey oversees the company’s finances and helps formulate the strategy for Walmart to remain relevant with its customers—especially on an ever-evolving digital stage.
“Helping our customers to save money and live better is more than just a motto for Walmart,” Rainey said. “It is the ethos of the company.”
Rainey appreciates the values that Walmart stands for—they are what attracted him to the position back in May 2022. It is the same set of principles that Rainey has looked for everywhere he has been, including Baylor University.
“Baylor is not just an academic institution,” he said. “They truly care about teaching students how to lead in different ways. Baylor helped shape me into who I am today.”
Rainey earned his bachelor’s in Management from the Hankamer School of Business (HSB) in 1993 and followed that with an MBA in 1995. Since then, he has worked for many companies that share similar values to him, including United Airlines, PayPal and now Walmart.
His approach to work is not what people do but how they do it.
“There are a lot of smart people that work hard, but how you go about that work matters just as much,” he said. “It is the way in which one operates, whether it is leading their team or working with their peers, that can distinguish people.”
While doing good in his professional life, Rainey also strives to give back personally. He recently ended a three-year term on the HSB Dean’s Advisory Board and is a prominent donor to the Business School. Rainey also has funded several scholarships for students in Brazoria, Matagorda and Galveston counties who plan to attend Baylor.
Rainey’s service to the school is both in appreciation for his experience there and to assist the future of the business world.
“I am thankful for my time at Baylor and want to ensure others are receiving a quality education,” he said. “Baylor is molding future leaders who we want in business today.”