Executive Summary: Fort Smith Mayor McGill focused on listening, citizen safety

Editor’s note: The Fort Smith Metro Daily News Executive Summary series is focused on looking under the title, so to speak, of a business, government, and non-profit executive in the Fort Smith metro.

Fort Smith Mayor George McGill is a military veteran, businessman and civic leader. Born and raised in Fort Smith, he graduated from the University of Arkansas with a bachelor’s degree in education, and he became the first African American at the university to be awarded a master’s degree in business administration.

He returned to Fort Smith and built a successful business which he owned and operated for 30 years.

McGill would be elected to three terms in the Arkansas House of Representatives, where he held the position of deputy speaker pro-tem, where he would advocate for numerous causes, including hunger relief, education, veterans’ rights, and protection for children and the elderly.

In 2018, McGill became the first African American elected mayor of Fort Smith and he is serving his second term. He also represents the region in the U.S. Air Force Air Education Training Command (AETC) Civic Leader Program as a member of the inaugural class of 2026.

His service has earned numerous honors, including the National Guard Association’s Joseph T. Robinson Award and the Arkansas Municipal League Distinguished Legislator Award.

Following are McGill’s responses to the Executive Summary questions.

• What was your first job and what did it teach you?
My first job was as a newspaper carrier. It taught me responsibility at an early age, such as how to meet deadlines, show up consistently, and be accountable. Delivering papers rain or shine helped me understand the importance of commitment to customers and community, lessons that still guide me in public service today.

• What is a principle or value on which you never compromise?
I will not compromise on fairness. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and equity, regardless of background or circumstance. In leadership, fairness isn’t optional; it’s essential to earning trust, building strong relationships, and ensuring that every voice has a chance to be heard and valued.

• What’s one belief you held strongly 10+ years ago that you’ve changed your mind about?
Ten years ago, I believed that doing good would always produce good outcomes. Experience has taught me otherwise. Even well-intentioned work can face resistance. Some will try to discredit efforts meant to uplift others. That realization made me more resilient and even more determined to do what’s right.

• If you could change one thing about the Fort Smith metro, what would it be?
If I could change one thing, I would expand Fort Smith’s geographic footprint. Our limited land mass challenges out ability to accommodate future growth. Strategic expansion would allow us to plan for new housing, economic development, and infrastructure that will be essential to meeting the region’s long-term needs.

• What’s a lesson you’ve learned the hard way?
One of the hardest lessons I’ve learned is that those you work hardest to protect or help may still turn against you. Leadership requires a steady heart. You serve anyway, even when it’s difficult because helping others isn’t about recognition, it’s about doing what’s right, no matter the cost.

• What keeps you up at night professionally?
The overall safety of Fort Smith and its residents is what weighs on me most. Ensuring people feel secure in their homes, neighborhoods, and public spaces is a constant responsibility. Public safety is foundational to our quality of life, and I’m committed to doing everything I can to protect it.

• What methods have you found most effective in engaging with and incorporating feedback from your community or team?
Listening is key. Real engagement begins by creating space for people to speak openly. Whether it’s a neighborhood forum or a one-on-one conversation, I’ve found that truly listening – not just hearing – builds trust and leads to better decisions that reflect the needs, values, and aspirations of our community.

Follow the links to previous posts in the Executive Summary series.
ArcBest Chair and CEO Judy McReynolds