AAC Board Profile: Craighead County Treasurer Terry McNatt

Craighead County treasurer new to board, named legislative chair

Story and Photo by Holland Doran AAC Communications Coordinator

Before Craighead County Treasurer Terry McNatt was working with numbers in the treasurer’s office, he was chopping cotton on his family farm.

It was a sweaty job, but one that McNatt’s father, Eugene McNatt, knew would help him one day.

“My father said it helped build character and muscles,” he said. “All I know is that it was hot and, well, I never saw those muscles too much.”

As county treasurer, legislative director for the Arkansas County Treasurers’ Association, a new member of the Association of Arkansas Counties (AAC) Board of Directors, and chairman of the AAC Legislative Committee, McNatt can say that his father’s decision to “set the bar high” for him, has paid off.

“He expected a lot from us because he knew what God has given us the ability to do,” McNatt said.

After graduating from Brookland High School in Brookland, Ark., McNatt earned a bachelor of science degree in accounting from Arkansas State University.

Though his sights were set on an accounting job, he was offered a job as deputy sheriff in Greene County. It was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

“I told my parents I would only do the job for a few years,” he said. “Twenty-one years later I retired. I think I owe my parents an apology over that timeline issue.”

McNatt completed Arkansas Law Enforcement Training in 1992. He spent three years working at the Greene County Sheriff’s Department. In 1995, he became deputy sheriff in Craighead County.

McNatt earned many certifications and awards during his time as a deputy sheriff. He was named the Jerry Suiter Law Enforcement Officer of the year in 1999 and the Jonesboro Optimist International Law Enforcement Officer of the Year in 2000.

When McNatt retired from law enforcement in 2012, the “burden” to run for Craighead County treasurer was placed in his heart.

“The more I wanted to run from it, the more the door was opened to it,” he said. “It’s probably hard to comprehend, but it was hard for me to comprehend also.”

McNatt took office in January 2013 and has found that his favorite thing about county government is the people.

“When you put the people first, everything else will work out fine,” he said. “A lot of time we lose focus on that. People are truly our greatest asset.”

As treasurer, McNatt has seen his office overcome obstacles and improve its work processes. The office’s most notable accomplishments are moving from manual bookkeeping to a Windowsbased software program and receiving a “perfect audit” with no written or verbal findings.

Transparency is a priority for McNatt, who works with Craighead County Clerk Kade Holliday to “push this issue to the forefront” in the county.

“Every tax payer should be able to see every transaction that is occurring with their money,” he said.

The Arkansas Treasurers’ Association elected McNatt to replace now-retired Clark County Treasurer Judy Beth Hutcherson as one of their two representatives on the AAC board. McNatt said he is honored to “continue the tradition of fair representation of” the association.

“I am humbled to be chosen to be on the AAC board,” he said. “There are so many other great people in these associations who are probably more qualified. It’s truly an honor that I do not take lightly.”

McNatt also succeeds Randolph County Circuit Clerk and now-AAC Board President Debbie Wise as chairman of the AAC’s Legislative Committee.

McNatt and his wife, Trudy, have been married 23 years and have a 9-year-old son, Layne.

When he’s not in the office or spending time with family, McNatt is running, a hobby that has become a passion. He has competed in more than 100 races since 2013.