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Arkansas Environmental Federation (“AEF”) Executive Director, Charles Miller, has announced his retirement with the organization.
Charles will continue to manage the organization until October of 2018.
AEF describes itself as a:
. . . non-profit association with over 200 members, primarily Arkansas businesses and industries that manufacture products, provide services, and employee skilled workers in Arkansas while also ensuring that their operations comply with all federal and state environmental, safety, and health regulations.
Charles had succeeded Executive Director Randy Thurman who had retired after many years of service to the organization.
Charles was named Executive Director of the AEF in August of 2013. Before coming to the AEF he was a partner in the government relations firm Capitol Partners, LLC which offered consulting services for regulatory and legislative matters. From 2000 to 2011 Charles worked for the Arkansas Bankers Association (“ABA”), eventually rising to the position of Senior Vice President/Director of Legislation & Regulation. At the ABA he managed the governmental and political activity of the 122 year-old trade association and was the primary state lobbyist for more than 200 banks and bank holding companies.
Prior to working for the Bankers Association, Charles was on staff for United States Senators Blanche Lincoln and David Pryor. He also held the position of Legislative Director for the Arkansas Attorney General. In addition to his political experience, Charles spent two years as the Vice President of Business Development with a community bank in Little Rock, Arkansas. Charles holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville and completed the Leadership School for State Executives at Duke University. He currently serves as an ex-officio member of the Arkansas Environmental Training Academy’s Advisory Board, is a past President of the Arkansas Society of Professional Lobbyist and served as president of the Board of the Historic Arkansas Museum Foundation.
Please note I will admit a certain bias when it comes to Charles. I have known him since undergraduate school as we both attended the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Further, I represent the Arkansas Recyclers Association and Charles, while at Capitol Partners, represented an individual member of that group. I worked extensively with Charles addressing serious legislative challenges that were relevant to the scrap/recycling industries. It was clear that he was diligent and knowledgeable of the legislative process and had a great deal of credibility among state agency personnel and the legislators. I believe the same has held true at the AEF. In other words, he will be missed.
