Charles R. Ford announced the unveiling of a portrait of Sam Walton, as part of a series of paintings commissioned by the Oklahoma State Senate Historical Preservation Fund, Inc. The portrait of Walton is by nationally- renowned artist Mike Wimmer of Norman, and was unveiled during a ceremony in the Senate Chamber this afternoon.

“Sam Walton was an amazing entrepreneur who overcame many obstacles before becoming the famous retail giant. He knew customer service was the most important factor of a success retail store and he used his wisdom and experience to build a company that is now the largest private employer in the United States,” said Ford.

Wal-Mart currently employs more than 1.2 million associates, and an additional 400,000 associates in the international markets. The company operates more than 3,600 stores in the United States and more than 1,570 units in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, China, Korea, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

The painting is a gift from the Walt-Mart Foundation. A Governor’s Proclamation was read by Senator Harry Coates declaring March 29th as “Sam Walton Day,” in honor of the retail giant’s birthday. Coates worked for Walton’s construction team and considered him a mentor. The Seminole senator currently owns and operates a consulting firm and works directly with the Wal-Mart Corporation.

“I am honored to still have the privilege and the means to keep dedicating and displaying art work in the State Capitol,” said Charles Ford, who recently left office in the Oklahoma State Senate due to term limits.

This and other art commissioned by the Oklahoma State Senate Historical Preservation Fund, Inc. can be found on the Internet at: http://www.lsb.state.ok.us/senate/welcome.html.

For more information contact:
Senate Communications Office- (405) 521-5774