Bill Akins

Bill Akins is a Lecturer in the Department of Marketing/Transportation at the Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas. With over 25 years of experience in digital and physical retail technology, he teaches Honors Intro to Marketing and has been affiliated with the department since Spring 2023.

• Education: BS in Business Marketing (California State University), MBA in Retail Technology (Sam M. Walton College of Business)
• Career Highlights: Intern at Apple; leadership roles at Walmart and VMLY&R/Rockfish; author of the bestseller Innovative Leadership (2024)
• Research & Mentorship: Focuses on retail technology innovation and mentors startups in AI/ML; combines industry expertise with academic instruction.
• Additional Affiliations: Completed executive programs at Stanford, MIT, Emory University, Georgia Tech, and Cornell University.

Outside academia, he enjoys mountain biking and motorcycling.