During a press conference on Wednesday, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Director Austin Booth joined by Governor Asa Hutchinson, announced Bill Jones, CEO of Sissy’s Log Cabin, as the newest commissioner of the AGFC. The announcement was made officially during a meeting at the Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center in downtown Little Rock.
“I’m really excited to have a new commissioner in this agency because he has demonstrated these exact virtues that we will need to embody and emulate to rise and meet our challenges: character, passion, and grit,” Booth said. “He’s done so not only in his community and in his business, but also in the Arkansas outdoors. I look forward to working with him and our other six commissioners to ensure that the Arkansas outdoors is better tomorrow than it is today.”
Jones is a native Arkansan whose family settled in Arkansas in 1793. He is vice-chair of the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation and past president of the Pine Bluff chapter of Ducks Unlimited. He has served as a member of the Jefferson Regional Medical Center board and as a Baptist Health Foundation trustee. He also has worked with the Arkansas Arts and Science Center; the Pine Bluff United Way; the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff; and the Women and Children First Shelter.
“I’ve dreamt of this my entire life, and now it’s here,” said Jones. “Conservation and preservation is what we’re all about. That is really what I hope to do here.”
Jones joins 2021-2022 Commissioners Dr. Steven J. Beaupre, Ex-Officio Rob Finley, J. D. Neeley, Chairman Bobby Martin, Director Austin Booth, Stan Jones, Anne Marie Doramus, and Philip Tappan.
Jones’ term expires July 1, 2029. He is replacing Commissioner Bennie Westphal.
“Arkansas is a very rare jewel. I’m honored and humbled to be a steward of this beautiful gem,” added Jones in his closing remarks.