Says she is ready to make Arkansas ‘the best place in the nation to start and grow a business’
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.—Governor-elect Sarah Huckabee Sanders today announced her intention to nominate Hugh McDonald as the Secretary of the Department of Commerce.
“As governor, I’m ready to unleash bold reforms to make Arkansas the best place in the nation to start and grow a business – and I’m proud to announce that Hugh McDonald will help me accomplish it as Secretary of the Department of Commerce,” Sanders said. “We will work together to responsibly phase out the state income tax, foster an environment for our businesses to create thousands of higher paying jobs, and grow our state’s economy, while attracting businesses nationwide and worldwide to make Arkansas their home. My vision for our state’s economy will take us to the next level, creating a brighter, more prosperous future for all Arkansans.”
“I am honored that Governor-elect Sanders has tapped me to lead the Department of Commerce and confident that her economic reforms will take our state to new heights,” McDonald said. “Together, we will foster a business-friendly environment with a strong workforce development pipeline that allows businesses to recruit and retain highly skilled workers. I’m proud to stand with Governor-elect Sanders as we champion our Arkansas economy.”
Hugh McDonald biography:
Hugh T. McDonald served as president and chief executive officer of Entergy Arkansas, Inc. from 2000 until his retirement in 2016. Entergy Arkansas is the largest electric utility in the state, serving over 700,000 customers with annual revenues exceeding $2 billion.
Hugh joined Entergy in 1982 as an engineer at Waterford 3 nuclear generating plant in Louisiana. He held various management positions in the distribution, transmission, customer service, retail marketing, and regulatory business functions in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Arkansas.
Prior to working for Entergy, Hugh was employed by Black and Veatch Consulting Engineers in Overland Park, Kansas.
Hugh currently serves on the board of trustees of The Nature Conservancy of Arkansas, trustee for the North Dakota State University Foundation, and board member of the Arkansas Career Education and Workforce Development Board.
Hugh is a past board member of the United States Chamber of Commerce, the University of Arkansas Sam Walton College of Business Advisory Board, and the University of Arkansas Little Rock College of Business Advisory Council. He also served as past board chair of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, Fifty for the Future, the Arkansas Research Alliance, the Arkansas Career Education and Workforce Development Board, and the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences Board of Advisors.
Hugh holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management from North Dakota State University, 1980; and earned an MBA from the University of New Orleans in 1987.
Hugh and his wife, Michelle, have three children who all reside in Arkansas.