Native Minnesotan Walter E. McNeil (a.k.a. Wally the Beerman) has lived in Minneapolis and its suburbs all his life. While still in high school Wally started working for a wholesale drug company and remained with that company for 38 years. He held many positions, eventually becoming operations vice president when he was only 23 years old, making him the youngest operations vice president in the United States Drug Industry.

While still working for the drug company, Wally became a vendor. He discovered he really enjoyed sales and contact with people. From events at the Minneapolis Auditorium, the Saint Paul Civic Center, the Target Center, Midway Stadium, and the University of Minnesota, Wally is there.

Wally has been featured with Tom Brokaw on the Nightly News when the Minnesota Twins won the World Series. He has been featured in a Sports Illustrated article, "No Bad Hops with Wally." And appeared with his wife on the Phil Donohue show as a man who is a better housekeeper and cook than his wife.

You can see Wally on local and national TV commercials. He makes personal appearances at local bars, restaurants, family bar mitzvahs, weddings and celebrations of all kinds, and has been know to do celebrity bartending for sporting events on TV.

As the father of three, who are all successful in their choen fields, and grandfather of seven, Wally has passed along his aspirations for excellence to his family. He loves what he is doing in retirement from his "real" job and plans to continue "as long as it is fun."

Written by Joyce McNeil for presentation to the Twin Cities Executive Secretaries Club.

This page was last revised 12/4/2003