Walker had a lifelong career at the phone company, starting when it was Pacific Northwest Bell and ending when it was U.S. West; he was the Vice President and CEO of the Washington Division. As a civic leader, he chaired the board of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, leading the Hutch through the transition period when the Hutch moved from First Hill to its new campus in South Lake Union. He also provided excellent leadership to many other leading Seattle and statewide organizations, including serving as board chair of Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce, Association of Washington Business, Washington Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, YMCA of Greater Seattle, Seattle-King County Economic Development Council, and Washington State Developmental Disabilities Council. He also served on the boards of United Way of King County, Leadership Tomorrow, Washington Roundtable and the University of Washington Development. He is a member of the Washington State Growth Strategies Commission and a member of the Washington State Efficiency in Government Council. He also was a founding board member for Seattle’s Alliance for Education. He was an active contributor in every organization where he served as a volunteer.