Southern Professionals Adds Former Walmart Vice President Doug Keiser to Lead Its Bentonville Team

With 35+ years in retail, Keiser brings a unique perspective to Southern Professionals and its client base

BENTONVILLE, AR, UNITED STATES, September 22, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — BENTONVILLE, Ark. — September 22, 2026 — Southern Professionals, a CPG brokerage firm serving key national retailers since 1979, today announced that Doug Keiser has joined the firm and will lead its Bentonville team. Keiser brings more than 35 years of retail experience — including 17 years at Walmart — to the manufacturers and brands the firm represents.

At Walmart, Keiser rose to Vice President, Divisional Merchandise Manager over Lawn & Garden and Hardware & Paint, sitting on the very side of the table that suppliers spend their careers trying to reach. Having been the buyer that brands work to win, he knows firsthand what earns a product its place on the shelf — from assortment and pricing to the execution details that separate a pitch from a purchase order.

Keiser went on to lead sales and sourcing for major suppliers, most recently serving as Executive Vice President of Retail Sales at Test Rite, with earlier leadership roles at Outdoor Cap, Fred’s, and Royal Oak Enterprises. That combination — years spent buying, followed by years spent selling into the same retailers — gives him a rare, dual view of what makes a supplier partnership succeed. He holds a B.S. from Iowa State University.

“Doug has sat in the buyer’s chair at the largest retailer in the world, and then spent years on the supplier side learning how to win there,” said Larry Burris, President of Southern Professionals. “That perspective is invaluable to our clients. When Doug tells a manufacturer what a merchant is really looking for, he isn’t guessing — he’s been that merchant. We’re thrilled to have him helping lead our Bentonville team.”

Keiser will head the Southern Professionals Bentonville team alongside Burris, who as President oversees both Southern Professionals Bentonville which focuses on Walmart & Sam’s and Southern Professionals Inc. which is uniquely positioned to handle Dollar General, Family Dollar, Dollar Tree, Home Depot and Tractor Supply.

“I spent a long time deciding which products deserved a place on the shelf, and I’ve spent the years since helping suppliers earn it,” said Keiser. “Southern Professionals has built its reputation on relationships and doing right by its clients, and that’s exactly how I’ve always worked. I’m looking forward to helping our manufacturers see their business the way a buyer sees it — and turning that insight into growth.”
The addition of Keiser strengthens the firm’s presence in Northwest Arkansas — the heart of the retail world and steps from the buyers who define the value channel. His background aligns nicely with the hardlines, food, and seasonal categories that move through the retailers Southern Professionals serves, adding deep category expertise to the firm’s bench as it continues to grow its client roster.

Justine Cruz
Southern Professionals
+1 813-322-6345
jcruz@southernprofessionals.net
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