Thomas McLarty

Thomas F. “Mack” McLarty, III was born on June 14, 1946, in Hope, Arkansas. His father owned an automotive dealership established in 1921, and his mother was the first woman appointed to the Arkansas Industrial Development Commission. McLarty attended the University of Arkansas, where he served as Student Body President and graduated summa cum laude in 1968 with a degree in business administration. In 1968, he married Donna Kaye Cochran and they returned to Hope, where he joined the family automotive business. At the age of 23, McLarty was elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives, serving from 1971 to 1973. He subsequently focused on expanding the family’s truck leasing business, McLarty Leasing. He also held leadership roles in the Democratic Party, including serving on the Democratic National Committee from 1974 to 1976 and as chairman of the State Democratic Party. He contributed to the successful campaigns of Governor David Pryor and President Bill Clinton.

From 1983 to 1992, McLarty served as chairman and CEO of Arkla, Inc., a natural gas company. During this period, President George H.W. Bush appointed him to the National Petroleum Council and the Council on Environmental Quality, and he also served on the St. Louis Federal Reserve Board. Following Bill Clinton’s victory in the 1992 presidential election, McLarty led the transition team. He then entered the Clinton administration, serving as the White House Chief of Staff from January 1993 to June 1994. In this role, he was instrumental in implementing President Clinton’s deficit reduction plan, establishing the first National Economic Council, and securing the passage of the Family and Medical Leave Law and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). He also facilitated the passage and signing of the Brady Bill.

After his tenure as Chief of Staff, McLarty served as Counselor to President Clinton for more than five years, participating in Cabinet meetings and the National Economic Council. He was appointed White House Coordinator for the Centennial Games in Atlanta and organized the 1994 Summit of the Americas in Miami, which led to his appointment as Special Envoy for the Americas in December 1996. For his work, McLarty received the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Medal and top civilian honors from seven Latin American countries. He concluded his government service in June 1998. Subsequently, he co-founded McLarty Associates, an international strategic advisory firm, and returned as chairman of the McLarty Companies, which includes a network of automotive dealerships.