Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has appointed Steve Kueter of Paragould to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, naming the third-generation aquaculture farmer and longtime conservation advocate to a seven-year term that runs through June 30, 2033.
Kueter succeeds Anne Marie Doramus, whose term as commissioner expired June 30. The seven-member commission oversees the state’s fish and wildlife resources, including conservation efforts, hunting and fishing regulations and management of public lands.
In announcing his appointment, Sanders said Kueter’s background in conservation, agriculture and public service made him well suited for the role. “Steve has spent his life helping steward our natural resources while preserving our state’s rich outdoor heritage for future generations,” Sanders said in a statement.
Kueter currently serves on the board of directors of Craighead Electric Cooperative Corp. and is president of the Eight Mile Drainage District. Kueter also serves on the Arkansas Catfish Promotion Board, the Greene County Farm Bureau board and the Arkansas Bait and Ornamental Fish Growers Association. He previously served on the boards of Catfish Farmers of Arkansas and Catfish Farmers of America and was twice recognized nationally as Catfish Farmer of the Year.
In a statement, Kueter said he has witnessed the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s conservation successes over his lifetime, pointing to the recovery of deer and turkey populations across the state. “It is humbling to be appointed by Gov. Sanders and entrusted to continue the good work of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and the commissioners who have come before me,” Kueter said.
