NWACC Foundation Announces New Board Members

(BENTONVILLE, Ark.) – February 9, 2026 — The NorthWest Arkansas Community College Foundation recently named three new members to its Board of Directors, including Ben Hasan, a former Walmart Senior Vice President who retired in 2022; Shantell Owen, Senior Vice President at Arvest Bank and Wayne Hamilton, recently retired Vice President for Walmart Claims Services. 

As new members, they will assist the board in advocating for NWACC, supporting college leadership, implementing short and long-term goals and raising funds for student scholarships that enable access to education for many students.

The NWACC Foundation board is comprised of community leaders and professionals who represent a variety of industries in Northwest Arkansas, including banking, commercial real estate, and corporations, both local and international.

“We are thrilled to welcome Ben Hasan, Shantell Owen and Wayne Hamilton to the board,” said Mat Mozzoni, president of the NWACC Foundation. “The foundation board is essential to advancing the college mission and strengthening its impact across the region. These new members bring experience, passion for the community college and deep community connections to help guide our work in the years ahead.”

Ben Hasan is a Fortune 100-caliber technology and enterprise transformation leader who has scaled global platforms, governed multi-billion-dollar portfolios and built high-performing engineering and IT organizations globally. Hasan retired from Walmart in 2022, where he was Senior Vice President in the People Organization. 

Hasan completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University, earned a Master of Business Administration from Amber University and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Science from Temple University. Throughout his time in Northwest Arkansas, Hasan has served on the boards of Benton County Boys & Girls Club; Walmart Foundation and Thaden School, among others.

Shantell Owen is an accomplished financial professional with 30 years tenure at Arvest Bank. As Senior Vice President, she manages the Family Client Services Department, where she demonstrates deep commitment to client success and service excellence.

Owen’s strong foundation in finance began in college, when she earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Missouri State University in 1992. She is deeply committed to her community and was a founding board member of the Scott Family Amazeum. Owen also serves on the board of directors for the Boys and Girls Club and on a committee for Dress for Success. 

Wayne Hamilton brings more than three decades of executive experience in corporate governance, financial controls, and regulatory oversight to the Foundation. Hamilton recently retired from Walmart Inc. following a distinguished career with the company. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Walmart Claims Services, where he was responsible for enterprise-level governance frameworks, financial process integrity, and internal control oversight supporting one of the world’s largest organizations. His work has focused on strengthening organizational resilience, regulatory compliance, and executive decision-making within complex, highly regulated environments.

Throughout his career, Hamilton has advised senior leadership and governing bodies on risk management, audit readiness, and financial discipline, with direct responsibility for large-scale operations and enterprise governance initiatives. He brings a strong background in fiduciary oversight and a governance perspective shaped by deep experience in financial reporting, compliance, and internal controls.

Hamilton holds a Master of Laws in Taxation from the University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law and a Juris Doctor from the North Carolina Central University School of Law. He looks forward to supporting the NWACC Foundation’s mission to expand access to education and strengthen opportunities for students across Northwest Arkansas.

About NorthWest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) Foundation: 

The NWACC Foundation is a separate non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that serves as the philanthropic arm of NorthWest Arkansas Community College. The foundation supports NWACC students, faculty, alumni and the greater community by providing resources for growth and development. Private funds raised by the NWACC Foundation enable NWACC to empower lives, inspire learning and strengthen community through accessible, affordable and quality education.