Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Thursday appointed David Haak, a former state lawmaker, to the Arkansas Highway Commission.
“Today, I will be appointing David Haak to serve on the Arkansas Highway Commission, someone who will play a critical role in bringing new, high paying jobs to the state while improving the quality of life for all Arkansans,” Sanders said in a news release. “David’s lifetime of public service, community involvement, and strong leadership will make him an asset to the commission, and I am confident that together we will ensure that U.S. Highway 82 finally becomes a four-lane interstate, unleashing south Arkansas’ full economic potential.”
Haak, a lifelong resident of Texarkana, served in the Arkansas House from 1999 to 2004. He held seats in several committees, including the Joint Budget Committee, Revenue and Tax Committee and Insurance and Commerce Committee. Haak also served on the Economic Development Commission from 2005-2008 and on the Arkansas Waterways Commission in 2021, according to the news release.
“It is an honor to be appointed to the Arkansas Highway Commission by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, a longtime friend and bold, visionary leader for the state of Arkansas,” Haak said in the release. “I’m ready to get to work empowering our people with strong and reliable highway infrastructure and prioritizing the completion of an interstate from Texarkana to Lake Village.”
Haak has served as a city councilor, chamber of commerce board member and zoning and planning commissioner in Texarkana. In 1990, he was named “Entrepreneur of the Year” by Texas A&M University Texarkana and in 2006 was named a "Distinguished Alumni" by the Texarkana Arkansas School District, the release said.
He is a graduate of Texarkana Arkansas High School and Henderson State University.