J. Eric Hagler appointed director of Arkansas Scholarship Lottery

Gov. Asa Hutchinson appointed on Thursday (Aug. 6) J. Eric Hagler to serve as director of the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery. The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery is a division of the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration.

“The lottery director position requires a wide skill set, including the ability to remain focused on the program’s key goal of providing scholarships to Arkansans,” Hutchinson said. “Eric brings this to the Scholarship Lottery. We are proud to bring Eric home to Arkansas and look forward to him leading a great team of employees.”

A native Arkansan, Hagler began his career in law 31 years ago as an Arkansas deputy prosecuting attorney, followed by creating his own law firm, presiding as a magistrate judge in Bentonville and serving as Special Associate Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court in 2003. He is moving home to Arkansas from California to lead the lottery.

Hagler was practicing law in California prior to his appointment as director. His annual salary will be $165,681.

“I’m grateful for the confidence placed in me by Governor Hutchinson and [DFA] Secretary [Larry] Walther,” Hagler said. “Sandi and I are thrilled to be coming home to Arkansas, and I’m excited to meet the staff and get to know the executive and legislative branches of government quickly.”

Hagler graduated from the University of Arkansas and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Bowen School of Law. He and his wife have three grown children.