HR VP Bio

Willis Walker
Vice President for Human Resources & General Counsel

Willis Walker began practicing law in 1981 and joined Kent State in 1999 as Chief University Counsel. In January 2008 he was named interim vice president for Human Resources; the appointment was made permanent in September 2008.  

Prior to coming to Kent State, Walker served as vice president/general counsel/corporate secretary for Lockheed Martin Idaho Technologies, Inc. in Idaho Falls, Idaho and assistant chief counsel for Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, Inc. in Oak Ridge, Tenn.  He also served as special counsel to the state of Ohio for the office of the Attorney General, assistant law director for the city of Chillicothe and had a private law practice in Chillicothe.

In his current role Walker is responsible for overseeing the legal affairs of the University, managing the Office of General Counsel and managing all aspects of the division of Human Resources.

Walker earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Akron in 1976. He received his J.D. from the University of Akron School of Law in 1981 and a Master of Law degree in banking from the Boston University School of Law in 1990. 

To contact Walker, call 330-672-2982 or email wwalker@kent.edu.