LITTLE ROCK -- Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced three new appointments of directors of state departments, including the state's environmental agency and veterans affairs group.
Becky Keogh, a former deputy director at the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, was named as head of her former department.
Keogh, who worked at the department for 10 years before being appointed to the Arkansas Geological Commission in 2006 by Gov. Mike Huckabee, will take over for Ryan Benefield, who became interim director after the retirement of Teresa Marks.
"Keogh understands that we are the Natural State for good reason, and she has a wealth of knowledge and experience from both the regulatory and business perspective," Hutchinson said in a statement. "Her background, knowledge of the issues, and love of this state make her an ideal choice, who will bring balance and common-sense leadership to ADEQ."
State finance officials didn't have Keogh's salary information; Benefield's annual salary was $130,249.
Keogh was unreachable at her employer's office.
Lt. Col. Matt Snead, a 16-year veteran of the Arkansas National Guard and the current public affairs officer for the group, will take the reins of the state's Department of Veterans Affairs while continuing to serve in the Army National Guard reserve.
The agency oversees services for the state's almost 250,000 veterans, including two cemeteries and a nursing home in Fayetteville. A second nursing home is planned for North Little Rock.
Snead said Tuesday that he had found out about the appointment just a few minutes before the governor's office issued a statement.
Snead said he's looking forward to working with the state's various veterans groups.
"I'd say the first thing I plan to do is go in and learn," he said. "I'm not new to veterans or veterans issues... but there are a lot of really high-quality folks over there."
Snead, who served in Iraq in 2007, said he plans to use his experience as the former legislative liaison for the Arkansas National Guard to communicate with everyone interested in veterans issues.
"You have to ask the right questions of the right people, and from there our focus needs to be developing a strategic plan," he said. "We'll re-look at our mission, our vision and our values and our strategic goals. And we'll develop an action plan to meet those goals. I think it's going to be important to invite all of the veterans groups to the table. ... I think there's a lot of opportunity."
Snead will replace retired director Col. Cissy Rucker, who took the job in 2012.
Rucker was asked to lead the agency after an audit showed it illegally collected more than $560,000 in fees from war-wounded and severely disabled veterans. Rucker brought the agency under closer financial control, but several issues arose surrounding treatment and conduct at the state's veterans retirement homes.
Rucker closed the dilapidated Little Rock veterans home just a few months after taking over. A new Central Arkansas Veterans Home is planned for North Little Rock, with construction scheduled to start this summer.
Snead said he plans to move forward with construction and to ensure that the new home provides high-quality care.
"That's my priority," he said.
Rucker made $99,602, the highest amount authorized.
Hutchinson also appointed a Helena-West Helena native, B. Edmond Waters, to take over the state's Securities Department, which regulates the trade and investment of securities, mortgages, savings and loans brokers and state-sanctioned credit unions.
Waters, who was a vice president at A.G. Edwards & Sons and worked at several Florida branches of the company, takes over for Heath Abshure, who was notified by Hutchinson in late December that he would not be retained.
Abshure's tenure was marked by an ethics complaint filed by Stephens Inc. that claimed Abshure allowed some organizations to make contributions to nongovernment groups in lieu of paying fines. The complaint was ultimately dismissed by the Arkansas Ethics Commission; the commission said Abshure had acted within his powers.
Abshure made $105,985, the maximum amount authorized for the position.
Waters was unreachable for comment.
NW News on 02/11/2015