Buddy Philpot is Senior Family Advisor on the Walton Enterprises team, where he transitioned to in 2016 after serving as Executive Director of the Walton Family Foundation for over 15 years. He joined the Foundation in 2001 after working for 20 years in commercial banking, the last 13 years with the Walton Family owned Arvest Bank Group where he was on the founding team and served as President of Arvest Bank Springdale. Buddy continues to serve the bank today as an Advisory Director for the Springdale market, and as a Board Member for the Arvest Opportunity Fund as well as the Arvest Foundation.

Buddy has a BSBA in Finance and Banking from the University of Arkansas and a Graduate Degree in Banking from the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at SMU. He has been very active in national and community non-profit leadership currently serving as a Director of Heartland Forward, a Director and Chairman of the Equitable Facilities Fund, a Director of the Building Charters Fund, a member of the Northwest Arkansas Council and on the Finance Council at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. Buddy has been active in many other Northwest Arkansas organizations, including being a founding Board Member of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Camp War Eagle, Endeavor Foundation and The Jones Center for Families.