Citing the cultural and economic importance of hunting and fishing to Arkansas, Gov. Asa Hutchinson appointed Bobby Martin of Rogers on Thursday to a seven-year term on the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
Martin will replace Emon Mahony of El Dorado, whose term expired June 30. Mahony is a special advisor to the Stephens Group, which is headed by Witt Stephens Jr., who served on the Game and Fish Commission in 1993-2000. Martin is an operating partner for the Stephens Group.
"As governor, I take all appointments seriously, but I don't believe there's a more important appointment I make than to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission," Hutchinson said. "It's part of lifeblood of Arkansas. It's a part of our culture, it's part of our heritage, and it's certainly a huge part of our economy."
Martin, 68, was born in Gideon, Mo. His family moved to Little Rock in 1960, and he graduated from Little Rock Central High School in 1967. He did not earn an undergraduate degree, but was awarded an honorary doctorate in 1990 by Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Mo.
Martin was chief information officer for Wal-Mart in 1993-1998, and was later president of Wal-Mart International. He has been independent director of The Gap, Inc., since 2002. He was also chairman of the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation's board of directors. The Game and Fish Foundation is a private fundraising organization that supports Game and Fish Commission programs.
"He is known internationally in retail business, and I have known him personally for 10 years," Mahony said.
Hutchinson said Martin distinguished himself among a field of 20 candidates through his passion for hunting and fishing, and for his commitment to conserving the state's game and fish resources for future generations.
As chairman of the Game and Fish Foundation's board of directors, Martin was a major influence in building the Arkansas Youth Shooting Sports Complex in Jacksonville. He said the state needs at least three more shooting ranges of equal quality.
Martin said shooting sports has proven to be one of the best tools for getting young people engaged in the outdoors more, and he's been an avid hunter since he was a child.
Martin said he is especially fond of duck hunting, and he spent many years hunting in Bayou Meto Wildlife Management Area, the Petit Jean river bottoms and Hurricane Lake.
Sam Speer, the husband of former Game and Fish Commission employee and television personality Phyllis Speer, is one of Martin's closest friends. Martin said he lived with Speer and his mother during his senior year of high school after his own parents moved away from Little Rock.
"Sam and I were either coming, going or thinking about hunting and fishing from junior high on," Martin said. "We did everything you can imagine. Before Sam or I could drive, my dad would take us to Long Bell turnaround [at Bayou Meto WMA] at Christmas break and leave us for the weekend. I guess parents trusted their kids a lot more back then, but I've walked into Government Cypress [at Bayou Meto WMA] all my life."
Martin said he learned to hunt deer with Speer and members of his family near Fordyce and Hampton, but duck hunting was his passion. He said he wants the Game and Fish Commission to continue developing and improving waterfowl habitat to attract ducks, and to provide hunting opportunities for sportsmen.
Martin said it is too early for him to comment about overcrowding on popular areas like Bayou Meto and Dave Donaldson Black River WMAs, saying the commission has to do the right thing for the state.
Martin acknowledged that chronic wasting disease among deer and elk is the dominant issue for the commission for the foreseeable future. He said he is impressed at the way the commission has handled the disease so far.
"My perception is this is we haven't done a knee-jerk reaction," Martin said. "We haven't overreacted, but it's here and there's a lot to learn about it. The early data suggests that it's not an imminent threat. It needs to be monitored. It will be on the table for the next seven years I hope I'm right that every reaction and decision we make is done out of sound science, and that we'll be patient and diligent."
Sports on 07/08/2016