Senate President Pro Tempore Michael Lamoureux appointed a spokesman for Sam’s Club to the Arkansas Lottery Commission, Lamoureux said Tuesday.
Mark Scott of Bentonville replaces Patty Shipp of Morrilton on the nine-member commission.
Shipp was appointed to the commission by then-Senate President Pro Tempore Bob Johnson, D-Bigelow, in 2009. Shipp helped oversee the creation of the lottery to raise money for college scholarships for students at the state’s two- and four-year colleges.
Lamoureux said he appointed Scott to the commission because Scott previously worked for Northwest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville and Hendrix College in Conway, and he’s a close friend.
“I trust him,” Lamoureux said.
Lamoureux said he’s offered Scott no advice.
Scott, 38, has been public-relations manager for Sam’s Club for the past year.
He previously was executive director of public relations and marketing for Northwest Arkansas Community College, director of media relations at Hendrix College, director of public communications for Republican Gov. Mike Huckabee and a reporter for The Courier newspaper in Russellville. He is a 1997 graduate of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.
Scott said he’s excited about the opportunity to serve on the commission.
He described himself as a proponent of “good government” and “open government” who is passionate about the future of higher education.
The lottery commissioners are paid no salary.
Northwest Arkansas, Pages 14 on 04/29/2013