State Treasurer Mark Lowery, who suffered two strokes this year, will retire effective on Sept. 30, the state treasurer's office announced on Tuesday.
Lowery’s decision to retire comes after a series of medical events this year, and the state treasury will continue to be run by Chief of Staff Stephen Bright and Deputy Treasurer Eric Munson until Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders appoints a replacement, the treasurer's office said in a news release. He is 67.
Lowery, a Republican from Maumelle, was sworn in as state treasurer on Jan. 10. Prior to being sworn in as state treasurer, he served in the state House of Representatives from 2013-2023.
He experienced one stroke in March and experienced a second, more severe stroke in June, leading him and his family to the difficult decision to announce his retirement to allow him to focus on his health, according to the treasurer's office
Treasurer Lowery’s family said in a written statement in the news release, “It was the joy of his life traveling across Arkansas and building lasting relationships with constituents throughout the state. Every moment of every day he lived his dream by serving others and fighting for Arkansans.”
Asked about his condition, treasurer's office spokeswoman Heather McKim said Tuesday in a written statement to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, "This is the only statement the family has authorized me to issue at this time."
Asked about Lowery’s retirement and when Sanders expects to appoint a replacement, the governor's spokeswoman Alexa Henning said Tuesday in a written statement that “Governor Sanders is praying for Treasurer Lowery and for his family.
“She appreciates his decades long service to the state and Arkansans,” Henning said.
House Speaker Matthew Shepherd, R-El Dorado, said Tuesday in a written statement that “I’m saddened to hear about Treasurer Mark Lowery’s current health condition, and I thank him for his service to the state.
“I served with Mark for 10 years and I know he wanted to continue his career of public service for many more,” Shepherd said. “He and his family are in my prayers.”
Bright said in the treasurer's office news release that “Treasurer Lowery has been a dedicated public servant and has had a successful political and professional career that spans over 30 years. We are incredibly sad to see him retire, and his leadership will be missed.”
Bright added, “Treasurer Lowery knew his greatest asset was his amazing staff. He adored the staff and he boasted about them every chance he had. The Treasurer loved spending time with his team and really wanted them to know how important they were to him. This staff stepped up the first day after the Treasurer went into the hospital and have not missed a beat since then. He knew they always had his back and he loved them for that.”
Lowery began his public service as the chief of staff for then-Lt. Gov. Mike Huckabee in the mid-1990s. He received a master’s degree in communications from the University of Arkansas in 2000 and went on to hold various positions from the editor of the Maumelle Monitor and The Sherwood Voice, to lobbyist and executive director for the Arkansas Chapter of the National Association of Financial Advisors, according to the treasurer's office. He taught communications at the University of Central Arkansas and Henderson State University. Lowery was elected in 2012 to his first term in the Arkansas Legislature, where he served five terms.