McClain Named New CEO of Ark. WCC

The Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission reported that Alan McClain of Little Rock was appointed as the chief executive officer of the Commission. McClain was named to the post following the announcement that current CEO Julie Benafield Bowman in January will take over as insurance commissioner at the Arkansas Insurance Department.

McClain, 39, brings over 17 years of workers’ compensation experience to the position having been the director of the Self-Insurance Division at the Workers’ Compensation Commission since July 2000. Before joining the Commission, he was assistant director of the Public Employee Claims Division at the Arkansas Insurance Department from 1998-2000, Claims Determination manager at the Arkansas Insurance Department from 1993 to 1998, and worked in the Claims Management Services Division for Sedgwick James of Arkansas from 1987 to 1992.

A native of Monticello, McClain received his bachelor’s degree from Hendrix College at Conway in 1987 and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 1993.

Governor Mike Huckabee said, “Alan McClain brings tremendous qualifications to the job of chief executive officer of the Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission. The CEO plays a key role in ensuring smooth day-to-day operations at the commission. It’s great news that someone as talented as Alan has agreed to take on this important job in state government.”

McClain is chair of the Self-Insurance Committee of the Southern Association of Workers’ Compensation Administrators (SAWCA) and has also served as chair of the Self-Insurance Sub-Committee of the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards & Commissions (IAIABC), where he currently serves as Chair of the Regulation & Enforcement Committee. He is a member of the boards of the Arkansas Self Insurers’ Guaranty Fund and the Arkansas Common Self-Insurers’ Guaranty Fund. He has also been involved with the board activities of the Self-Insurance Guaranty Funds of America and has served on the teaching faculty of the IAIABC Workers’ Compensation College teaching courses on claims administration and self-insurance.