Eric Munson currently serves as Executive Director of the Arkansas Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD). Under Munson’s leadership since 2015 with the support of the Hutchinson Administration and the AR Department of Finance & Administration, the independent federally funded 23-member Council has been overhauled, reorganized and rebuilt. Munson’s past experiences in business and governmental affairs allowed him to re-position the Arkansas Council by leveraging relationships, training advocates, and educating policy makers on the importance of why his state needed an active council.
Munson brings an extensive background to the Arkansas Council having private sector business experience plus federal, state, and local government experiences. Previously, Munson served as Senior Vice President, Director of Legislation & Regulation, for the Arkansas Bankers Association (ABA) where he oversaw the association’s Government Relations program at the state and federal levels. He advocated public policy positions for Arkansas’ bankers, their customers, and the banking industry. He monitored and implemented legislation and issues for ABA with the US Congress and the Arkansas legislature by representing 125 banks across Arkansas with over 18,000 employees.
Prior to his leadership role at the ABA, Munson was Director, Business and Commercial Services, at the Arkansas Secretary of State’s Office where he managed the processing and collection of over $26 million in franchise tax revenue, representing over 100,000 franchise tax forms, 20,500 corporate filings. He managed 30 employees in the handling of filings for startup companies and entrepreneurs, articles of incorporation, collecting franchise taxes, recording trademarks, filing notary public certifications, issuing Authentication of Documents, as well as recording Uniform Commercial Code filings and agriculture liens. He coordinated outreach programs to the legislature, city and county officials, business community, trade organizations, and non-profit organizations.
For many years, Munson was a small business and public affairs consultant. He served as the SBA Office of Advocacy as the Regional Advocate for the federal government’s Region VI, covering Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas under then President George W. Bush. He acted as a direct link between small business owners, state and local government agencies, state legislators, small business associations, and the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Eric received the SBA Office of Advocacy “Award of Excellence” in recognition of outstanding job performance, 2006, 2007, and 2008. Munson has been a champion of small business in Arkansas while representing the National Federation of Independent Business, the Associated Builders and Contractors, the Arkansas Wholesale Marketers Association, Independent Automobile Dealers and others business clients before the state legislature, state government agencies, and at the federal level.
Eric brings executive branch experience to the Council from his past work as Director of Policy for Economic Development and Natural Resources under former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. He covered 14 different state agencies and held leadership roles for of developing policy and implementing legislation. Munson also spent several years as an investment banker for Stephens Inc. of Little Rock where he served as financial advisor, underwriter, and placement agent for Arkansas municipal bond issues.
Munson received his BA from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, where he served as president of the student body. He served on the board of trustees of Pulaski Technical College and previously served on the Southern States Energy Board, The First Tee of Central Arkansas, and volunteers with Our House. He was featured as one of the 40 under 40 to watch for in the Arkansas Business Review. Eric is married to Susan Douglas Munson and they have three children. He is an active member of Immanuel Baptist Church, an avid duck hunter, outdoorsman, a Razorback fan, and he enjoys coaching youth teams at Junior Deputy Baseball.
