From the Home World Business website:

Selected by HomeWorld Business editors, “People To Watch” represents a cross section of a diverse housewares business— from established to newly installed company leaders; from large to small operations, from big-box to specialty retailers; from trade show managers to celebrity endorsers. The HomeWorld “People To Watch” are in the spotlight not only for how they might impact their respective organizations in the coming months, but also for how they might impact the overall housewares business.

​Joana McKenna, Walker Edison, President

CREDENTIALS: Walker Edison recently named Joana McKenna president. She reports directly to Brad Bonham, the company’s co-founder and CEO and will work with him and the company’s other co-founder, Matt Davis, COO, to enhance and drive the company’s growth initiatives.
McKenna was most recently VP/growth at Walmart, where she led marketplace business growth strategy, fueled development of its e-commerce business and spearheaded successful advanced initiatives. She also held senior positions at Amazon and Johnson & Johnson, not to mention running her own e-commerce layette and juvenile furniture business. At Amazon, McKenna participated in the strategic development of its marketplace as well as global brands registry and protection.

WHAT TO WATCH: Walker Edison hired McKenna to help usher in the company’s next decade and generation of growth, which includes building human capital and technology as well as expanding growth channels. She will help the company build private brands, boost international growth, explore a distinct direct-to-consumer element and develop new sourcing. In addition, she will aid in tackling issues such as sustainability and diversity in the context of Walker Edison operations.

PERSPECTIVE: “Walker Edison designs furniture for everyone, at every stage of life, no matter where you live,” McKenna said. “As we look to the second half of fiscal year ‘20 and fiscal year ‘21, our number one focus is our employees and meeting our team wherever they are. From working remote to flexible schedules, benefits that support their health and wellbeing, to the tools and technology they need to be productive and drive innovation. Walker Edison is poised to become the market leader in RTA, and we are focused on driving innovation with new categories and product assortment, exploring direct-to-consumer, and optimizing our supply chain to proactively support our year-over-year growth. This is only possible by building upon an organization that sets the pace for best-in-class employee benefits, career development, and diversity and inclusion. Walker Edison will continue to innovate our designs and produce furniture that meets the trends and demands of our partners and consumers.” —Mike Duff

SALT LAKE CITY – Inc. magazine today revealed that Walker Edison is No. 1003 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.
 
“We are honored to be included on the Inc 5000 list,” says Walker Edison CEO Brad Bonham. “2020 has rapidly sped up our growth and we look forward to being a part of this list for many years to come.”
 
Not only have the companies on the 2020 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but the list as a whole shows staggering growth compared with prior lists as well. The 2020 Inc. 5000 achieved an incredible three-year average growth of over 500 percent, and a median rate of 165 percent. The Inc. 5000’s aggregate revenue was $209 billion in 2019, accounting for over 1 million jobs over the past three years. 
 
Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are also being featured in the September issue of Inc., available on newsstands August 12.
 
“The companies on this year’s Inc. 5000 come from nearly every realm of business,” says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. “From health and software to media and hospitality, the 2020 list proves that no matter the sector, incredible growth is based on the foundations of tenacity and opportunism.”
 
The annual Inc. 5000 event honoring the companies on the list will be held virtually from October 23 to 27, 2020. As always, speakers will include some of the greatest innovators and business leaders of our generation.
 
About Walker Edison:
Established in 2006, Walker Edison quickly became a leading partner and a drop-ship solution for the biggest names in e-commerce. We are a data centric organization that is committed to deliver more than just innovative furniture - we are committed to help our customers Live Outside the Box™. Walker Edison is a global organization with operations in Brazil, Asia, the UK and Germany. To learn more visit walkeredison.com
 
 
More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000
 
Methodology
The 2020 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2016 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2016. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2016 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.’s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.
 
About Inc. Media
The world’s most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com.
For more information on the Inc. 5000 Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.
 
 
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Brittany Smart, Public Relations Specialist
brittany.smart@walkeredison.com