BENTONVILLE, AR, October 29, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Roger L. Gildehaus, founder and president of Macadoodles, was selected by Marquis Who's Who for a prominent feature in the August/September 2026 Arkansas regional issue of Forbes magazine.

Mr. Gildehaus' life story reads like the American dream: a journey from humble beginnings to the top echelons of a major company to owning his own successful business. As a child growing up in the small town of Washington, Missouri, he had eight siblings and a mother working hard to make ends meet. Rather than pursuing higher education, Mr. Gildehaus took a retail job as soon as he was able. In 1973, at 20 years old, he accepted a position as an assistant manager at Walmart.

Over the next 26 years, Mr. Gildehaus climbed the ladder at Walmart, impressing those above him with his energy, eagerness to contribute and commitment to hard work. After being shifted around to different stores to help wherever he was needed, he moved into a corporate role in 1980. During his extensive service with Walmart, Mr. Gildehaus had the opportunity to work closely with Sam Walton, the company's founder. Under Walton's mentorship, he gained invaluable insight into customer service and the retail business, including ideals that continue to shape his approach to this day.

By the mid-1990s, Mr. Gildehaus had been promoted to the position of vice president and divisional merchandise manager. Playing a key role in Walmart's international expansion, he found himself regularly traveling to more than a dozen different countries. Eager to spend more time with his family, he began considering retirement.

Concurrently with these thoughts, Mr. Gildehaus recognized a gap in the local market in Bentonville, Arkansas, which was, at the time, part of a dry county. Due to the legal restrictions on alcohol sales, there were not many quality options for purchasing liquor in the area, and the few stores that existed were overpriced and lacking in inventory. To address this issue, Mr. Gildehaus launched Macadoodles, a premium beer, wine and spirits retailer, in 1996. Two years later, he retired from Walmart to focus on this new venture.

In the 30 years since its founding, Macadoodles has established a strong reputation for offering customers a welcoming atmosphere, knowledgeable staff and a wide selection. While serving as the company's president, Mr. Gildehaus has expanded operations to 14 franchise locations and two company-owned stores as of 2026. Utilizing the wisdom he received from Sam Walton, he has earned major accolades for Macadoodles, including being named Retailer of the Year by Beverage Dynamics.

Of all the lessons Mr. Gildehaus learned from Sam Walton, he points to one that he believes has supported the success of Macadoodles and his career as a whole: Be different and be better than the competition. That has been his approach for more than 50 years, and he intends to continue it as he explores new markets such as Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

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