For more than three decades, I have worked in and around Arkansas government - as a county elected official, state legislator, Speaker of the Arkansas House, senior House staff member, association executive and government relations professional. That experience has given me an unusually deep understanding of how Arkansas government works, with particular expertise in the state budget and appropriations process.

I help businesses, associations and organizations understand how decisions are made - and how resources are allocated - within Arkansas state government. My particular strength is understanding the relationship between legislative priorities, agency budgets, appropriations, revenue and the broader legislative process.

At 501 Strategies, I use that experience to help clients understand not only what is happening at the Capitol, but how an issue fits within the state's budget, legislative process and competing priorities. For clients whose objectives depend on state funding, appropriations, legislation, tax credits or decisions involving multiple parts of state government, that broader understanding can be critical to developing a strategy that is both realistic and effective.

More than three decades of experience in Arkansas government, public policy and government relations, beginning with election to the Cleburne County Quorum Court in 1992.

Former Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives.

Six years of service as a member of the Arkansas House.

Seven years in senior Arkansas House staff roles, including Chief of Staff and Chief Operating Officer, serving House leadership from both political parties.

Former Executive Director of Arkansas Community Colleges.

Legislative committee experience including the Legislative Finance Committee, Joint Budget Committee and House Revenue and Taxation Committee.

Extensive experience with the Arkansas state budget, appropriations, legislative procedure, higher education, workforce development, taxation and public financing.

Experience helping clients pursue significant project funding through historic preservation tax credits.

11-15 years

My experience with Arkansas government began in 1992 with service on the Cleburne County Quorum Court and continued through six years in the Arkansas House of Representatives, including service as Speaker of the House. My legislative committee work included the Legislative Finance Committee, Joint Budget Committee and House Revenue and Taxation Committee, providing extensive experience with state budgeting, appropriations and revenue policy.

After elected service, I spent seven years in senior House staff roles, including director of constituency services, Chief of Staff and Chief Operating Officer, working with House leadership from both political parties as well as legislators, committees, state agencies and other participants in the budget and legislative process. As Executive Director of Arkansas Community Colleges, I worked with policymakers and public institutions on higher education, workforce development, funding and related policy matters.

In private practice, I represent clients before the Arkansas General Assembly and state government on legislative, budget, tax, financing and other public-policy matters. My particular strength is understanding how policy, appropriations, agency budgets, revenue and the legislative process fit together and using that knowledge to help clients develop realistic strategies.

Bill H. Stovall III is Senior Partner at 501 Strategies, LLC, a Little Rock-based Arkansas lobbying and government relations firm and successor to WSG Consulting. His career in Arkansas government and public policy spans more than three decades, beginning in 1992 when he was elected to the Cleburne County Quorum Court. He served four terms in county government before being elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives in 2000.

Stovall served six years in the Arkansas House and was Speaker of the House in 2005 and 2006. His legislative work included service on the Legislative Finance Committee, Joint Budget Committee and House Revenue and Taxation Committee, among other assignments. After leaving elected office, he remained at the House for seven years in senior staff roles, including director of constituency services, Chief of Staff and Chief Operating Officer, serving House leadership from both political parties.

In 2013, Stovall became Executive Director of Arkansas Community Colleges, where he worked on higher education, workforce development, state funding and public policy until 2018. He has been registered as an Arkansas lobbyist since at least 2015 and entered private contract government relations after leaving Arkansas Community Colleges. His client work has included legislative strategy, appropriations and budget matters, education and workforce policy, taxation and financing issues, and helping clients pursue complex public-policy objectives. He has also assisted clients, including Pacebook & Associates, with projects involving significant funding through historic preservation tax credits.

At 501 Strategies, Stovall combines more than 30 years of institutional experience with an exceptional command of Arkansas budgeting and appropriations to help clients understand what is possible, where an issue fits within state priorities, and how to build a practical path toward an objective.