Wednesday, May 19, 2004

Wal-Mart exec returns to Fayette to speak at home church By CAROLYN CARY ccary@TheCitizenNews.com Michael T. Duke, a 1967 graduate of Fayette County High School, is currently the president and chief executive officer of the Wal-Mart Stores Division. Duke, 54, is responsible for the operations and merchandising of the company’s Wal-Mart discount stores, Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets in the United States. He served as president of his high school graduating class and was graduated from Georgia Tech with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering. He currently serves on Georgia Tech’s Advisory Board. Working in the retailing industry for 23 years, he joined Wal-Mart in 1995. Duke was home recently visiting his Mother, Evelyn Pope Duke, and spoke at his home church, the Ebenezer United Methodist Church. He said that the Wal-Mart representatives are a family, “just like everyone one here this morning. I believe in the Platinum Rule; treat others better than you might be treated. We should not be boastful, just thankful. We must serve God continually, because we have so little time on earth. “Think about some of the things you could do if you knew you only had 24 hours left in your life; as a parent, you could pray with each of your children, individually, you might call on an old fried, take dinner to a lonely house-bound person, or give a Bible to a family member who does not go to church. Having an abundant life does not mean having abundance,” he added. With a well-used red Bible in his hand, he referred to James 4:13-17, in which James refers to the important things to be done each day, as if it were your last. The Bible had been given to him in 1963 by the late Ivene McEachern, a beloved Sunday School teacher. “Memories are good lessons,” he concluded, “and I am still learning. And I want to continue learning until my last day.” Duke is married to Susan, whom he met at Georgia Tech, and they have three adult children, and three grandchildren.