Mack McLarty
Encyclopedia
Thomas F. "Mack" McLarty III (born June 14, 1946) is a prominent Arkansas
business and political leader and former White House Chief of Staff
for US President
Bill Clinton
. He is the President of McLarty Associates, a Washington-based consulting company, as well as Chief Executive Officer of the McLarty Companies.
, and graduated from the University of Arkansas
in 1969. He is a member of Sigma Chi
Fraternity. He worked through the ranks of the business founded by his grandfather, Thomas F. "Mr. Tom" McLarty, Hope Auto Company. After serving a term in the House, he concentrated his efforts on growing the family's truck leasing business, first called M&M Leasing, later to become McLarty Leasing. He expanded the family's Arkansas dealership network to locations in Hope, Texarkana, Magnolia, and Little Rock. He was urged in many Democratic Party circles to seek the governor's chair vacated by David Pryor in 1978, but he deferred to his friend and fellow Hope native, Bill Clinton. He was elected to the State Legislature at the age of 23, serving a single term from 1971–1973 and served as chairman of the state Democratic Party from 1974–1976."
In 1976, he became the youngest member ever elected to the Board of Directors of the Arkla Gas/Arkla, Inc., a Fortune 500 natural gas company. In 1983 he became Arkla's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. During his tenure, the company was recognized by Forbes, The Wall Street Transcript, and The Financial Times for management excellence, in addition to his automotive endeavors.
He has a distinguished record of business leadership and public service, including various roles advising three Presidents: Jimmy Carter
, George H. W. Bush
and Bill Clinton. McLarty worked with President Carter as a member of the Democratic National Committee and was appointed to the National Petroleum Council and the Council on Environmental Quality
.
to President Bill Clinton
from 1993 until 1994. In 1994, the President asked his OMB Director, Leon Panetta
, what was wrong with his administration and was told about the lack of order in the White House. McLarty was out. According to author Nigel Hamilton
, "Panetta replaced McLarty for the rest of Clinton's first term—and the rest is history. To be a great leader, a modern president must have a great chief of staff—and in Leon Panetta, Clinton got the enforcer he deserved."
McLarty is a lifelong friend of Clinton's, both having been in the same kindergarten class together. He was also a counselor to the President after leaving the Chief of Staff position and was a "Special Envoy for the Americas". He also served for five years on the National Economic Council
."
Serving as Clinton's "special envoy for the Americas," he was a key figure in the creation of the North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) and the Free Trade Area of the Americas
(FTAA), which was supported by the Council of the Americas
, established by David Rockefeller
in 1965. He was a top official at the 1994 Miami Summit of the Americas, which laid the groundwork for this Trade bloc; as well as serving as a key liaison to Clinton for Rockefeller's Council in the implementation of this trade agreement.
Non-profit
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
business and political leader and former White House Chief of Staff
White House Chief of Staff
The White House Chief of Staff is the highest ranking member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States and a senior aide to the President.The current White House Chief of Staff is Bill Daley.-History:...
for US President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
. He is the President of McLarty Associates, a Washington-based consulting company, as well as Chief Executive Officer of the McLarty Companies.
Early life
McLarty was born in Hope, ArkansasHope, Arkansas
Hope is a small city in Hempstead County, Arkansas, United States. According to 2008 United States Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 10,378...
, and graduated from the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
in 1969. He is a member of Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon...
Fraternity. He worked through the ranks of the business founded by his grandfather, Thomas F. "Mr. Tom" McLarty, Hope Auto Company. After serving a term in the House, he concentrated his efforts on growing the family's truck leasing business, first called M&M Leasing, later to become McLarty Leasing. He expanded the family's Arkansas dealership network to locations in Hope, Texarkana, Magnolia, and Little Rock. He was urged in many Democratic Party circles to seek the governor's chair vacated by David Pryor in 1978, but he deferred to his friend and fellow Hope native, Bill Clinton. He was elected to the State Legislature at the age of 23, serving a single term from 1971–1973 and served as chairman of the state Democratic Party from 1974–1976."
In 1976, he became the youngest member ever elected to the Board of Directors of the Arkla Gas/Arkla, Inc., a Fortune 500 natural gas company. In 1983 he became Arkla's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. During his tenure, the company was recognized by Forbes, The Wall Street Transcript, and The Financial Times for management excellence, in addition to his automotive endeavors.
He has a distinguished record of business leadership and public service, including various roles advising three Presidents: Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
, George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
and Bill Clinton. McLarty worked with President Carter as a member of the Democratic National Committee and was appointed to the National Petroleum Council and the Council on Environmental Quality
Council on Environmental Quality
The Council on Environmental Quality is a division of the Executive Office of the President that coordinates federal environmental efforts in the United States and works closely with agencies and other White House offices in the development of environmental and energy policies and initiatives...
.
White House years
He served as White House Chief of StaffWhite House Chief of Staff
The White House Chief of Staff is the highest ranking member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States and a senior aide to the President.The current White House Chief of Staff is Bill Daley.-History:...
to President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
from 1993 until 1994. In 1994, the President asked his OMB Director, Leon Panetta
Leon Panetta
Leon Edward Panetta is the 23rd and current United States Secretary of Defense, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama since 2011. Prior to taking office, he served as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency...
, what was wrong with his administration and was told about the lack of order in the White House. McLarty was out. According to author Nigel Hamilton
Nigel Hamilton (author)
Nigel Hamilton is an award-winning British-born biographer, academic and broadcaster, whose works have been translated into sixteen languages. In the United States he is known primarily for his best-selling work on the young John F. Kennedy, JFK: Reckless Youth, which was made into an ABC...
, "Panetta replaced McLarty for the rest of Clinton's first term—and the rest is history. To be a great leader, a modern president must have a great chief of staff—and in Leon Panetta, Clinton got the enforcer he deserved."
McLarty is a lifelong friend of Clinton's, both having been in the same kindergarten class together. He was also a counselor to the President after leaving the Chief of Staff position and was a "Special Envoy for the Americas". He also served for five years on the National Economic Council
National Economic Council
The National Economic Council of the United States is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for considering economic policy matters, separate from matters relating to domestic policy, which are the domain of the Domestic Policy Council...
."
Serving as Clinton's "special envoy for the Americas," he was a key figure in the creation of the North American Free Trade Agreement
North American Free Trade Agreement
The North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada – United States Free Trade Agreement...
(NAFTA) and the Free Trade Area of the Americas
Free Trade Area of the Americas
The Free Trade Area of the Americas , , ) was a proposed agreement to eliminate or reduce the trade barriers among all countries in the Americas but Cuba. In the last round of negotiations, trade ministers from 34 countries met in Miami, United States, in November 2003 to discuss the proposal...
(FTAA), which was supported by the Council of the Americas
Council of the Americas
Council of the Americas is an American business organization whose goal is promoting free trade, democracy and open markets throughout the Americas. This includes Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean, as well as South America. Its members share a common commitment to economic and social development,...
, established by David Rockefeller
David Rockefeller
David Rockefeller, Sr. is the current patriarch of the Rockefeller family. He is the youngest and only surviving child of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, and the only surviving grandchild of oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller, founder of Standard Oil. His five siblings were...
in 1965. He was a top official at the 1994 Miami Summit of the Americas, which laid the groundwork for this Trade bloc; as well as serving as a key liaison to Clinton for Rockefeller's Council in the implementation of this trade agreement.
McLarty Companies
"The McLarty Companies comprises 11 automotive dealerships located in five states that generate in excess of $600 million. Mr. McLarty began his career building the company his grandfather founded, McLarty Leasing Systems, into one of the nation's largest transportation companies." Upon leaving the White House in July 1998, Mr. McLarty returned to the McLarty Companies as its Chairman.Affiliations
Commercial- Director, Acxiom Corporation
- Director, Union Pacific RailroadUnion Pacific RailroadThe Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
- Advisory Board, Leeds Equity Partners
- Advisory Board, Cato InstituteCato InstituteThe Cato Institute is a libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1977 by Edward H. Crane, who remains president and CEO, and Charles Koch, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the conglomerate Koch Industries, Inc., the largest privately held...
/Inter-American DialogueInter-American DialogueThe Inter-American Dialogue is a U.S. based think tank for policy analysis, exchange, and communication on issues in Western Hemisphere affairs... - Advisory Board, Diligence Llc. (Intelligence and Risk Management Consulting)
- Senior Advisor, Carlyle GroupCarlyle GroupThe Carlyle Group is an American-based global asset management firm, specializing in private equity, based in Washington, D.C. The Carlyle Group operates in four business areas: corporate private equity, real assets, market strategies and fund-of-funds, through its AlpInvest subsidiary...
(From 2003)
Non-profit
- Trustee, Center for the Study of the Presidency
- International Council of Trustees, Religions for Peace
- Advisory Board, New Democrat NetworkNew Democrat NetworkThe New Democrat Network is an American think tank that promotes progressive Democratic candidates, especially those in a more centrist vein, although this focus has waxed and waned...
- Member, U.S.-Mexico Binational Council
- Member, Council on Foreign RelationsCouncil on Foreign RelationsThe Council on Foreign Relations is an American nonprofit nonpartisan membership organization, publisher, and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs...
(2001)
External links
- Clinton Presidency / White Water Affair.
- Hillary Rodham Clinton / Travelgate.
- Stop the FTAA A website of the John Birch SocietyJohn Birch SocietyThe John Birch Society is an American political advocacy group that supports anti-communism, limited government, a Constitutional Republic and personal freedom. It has been described as radical right-wing....
, this details the figures and process behind the founding and ongoing support of the FTAA, including McLarty's involvement. - Thomas F. McLarty III, Put Mexico Relations Back on Front Burner,Los Angeles Times, December 2, 2001.
- Bill Richardson and Thomas F. McLarty, OPEC's clout isn't what it used to be, San Jose Mercury News, November 4, 2001.
- WHITE HOUSE AIDE BECOMES SUBJECT OF NEW INQUIRIES, NY Times, March 27, 1994