National Association of College Stores Names Robert Walton as Next CEO
OBERLIN, OHIO, March 1, 2016 – The Board of Trustees of The National Association of College Stores (NACS) today announced Robert A. Walton as the next chief executive officer of the professional trade association representing the $10 billion collegiate retailing industry. Walton will succeed Brian E. Cartier, CAE, who announced his retirement in March 2015 after 18 years at the helm of the association.
Walton will become the fourth person to hold the top post in the association’s 93-year history. He brings to the position an extensive background in higher education management, the information technology (IT) and library science industries, and corporate, service and community boards. His appointment follows an extensive, eight-month search and is effective July 1, 2016.
Since 2013, Walton has served as vice president for finance and administration of Vassar College where he managed a $161 million operating budget and directed all of the college’s finance, facilities and auxiliary operations, which included the campus store. He was instrumental in revamping and relocating Vassar’s store, which involved rehabbing a historical movie house (the “Juliet”) adjacent to the campus and adding a point-of-sale system that allowed the store to offer dynamic textbook pricing, which dramatically reduced Vassar student purchases from online booksellers. Today, the 5,700-square-foot retail space is a showcase for the Vassar brand. It also has strengthened “town and gown” relations by serving the community as well as the university.
Prior to Vassar, Walton was CEO of the Claremont University Consortium, a nationally recognized cooperative model that provides shared institutional support services to the seven Claremont Colleges of Claremont, California. Before that, he served as chief financial and business officer for The College of Wooster, in Wooster, Ohio.
“Bob is a proven leader with business vision and broad experience in higher education management, IT, finances and strategic planning,” said NACS Board President Anthony Martin, who also is director of the Houston Baptist University Bookstore in Houston, Texas. “His strong track record in coalition building and his deep understanding of the non-academic services and functions that support higher education institutions will be an incredible asset to NACS and its members as we continue to evolve the role of the campus store. Bob’s knowledge of store operations, and his success running IT and library science companies will help guide our members as the industry transitions to digital learning content formats, such as courseware, open educational resources, and adaptive learning.”
Prior to joining The College of Wooster in 1999, Walton was executive vice president and chief financial officer of Innovative Interfaces in California, a leading supplier of information technology to universities and municipal governments worldwide. Before that, he was CEO of CLSI, an information technology software, service and database company. At that time, CLSI – with more than 1,000 clients – was the largest provider of technology to national and academic libraries worldwide.
“I appreciate the confidence that the Board has shown by inviting me to serve as the next CEO of NACS, and I very much look forward to joining the NACS management team and staff in serving the needs of NACS members,” said Walton. “Having served as a college business officer and executive with nine higher education institutions on both coasts, I know first-hand the vital role that the college store plays in both academic and student life, and in elevating the brand of the institution. I look forward to joining others in telling and promoting this important story.”
A native of Texas, Walton holds both a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Library and Information Science degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Walton has retained his southern roots and maintains homes in both east Texas and New Orleans, but looks forward to moving back to Ohio with his wife Nancy, a librarian, in the coming months. With more than five million career air miles already under his belt, Walton looks forward to, once again, hitting the road to visit with and learn from member stores, state and regional groups, and suppliers.
About The National Association of College Stores
The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the $10 billion collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents nearly 4,000 campus retailers and approximately 1,000 industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the academic missions of higher education institutions. NACS is headquartered in Oberlin, Ohio. Additional information can be found online at www.nacs.org.
