By: Caludio E. Cabrea, The Root

USA Today

Wal-Mart made history on Friday when it named a black woman the first female and African American CEO of Sam's Club.

Rosalind Brewer, 49, was the former president of the retailer's U.S. East business unit. She also held a number of executive positions at Kimberly-Clark Corp. She begins her position on Feb. 1.

Wal-Mart's Sam's Club warehouse business accounts for 12 percent of Wal-Mart's annual sales. Revenue rose 5.7 percent at the store in the third quarter of 2011.

Brewer will replace Brian Cornell, who was credited with turning around Sam's Club, which was the company's slowest-growing unit entering 2009.

It's great to see Wal-Mart promote from within and make history in two areas with an African American and a woman taking over one of its most prized properties. We wish her all the best.

Read more in The Washington Post.