by Talk Business & Politics staff

Gov.-elect Sarah Sanders announced Friday (Dec. 30) her intention to nominate Washington County Judge Joseph Wood as Secretary of the Department of Transformation and Shared Services.

Wood is completing his second term as Washington County Judge after an unsuccessful run for the Republican nomination for Lt. Governor in 2022. He previously served in the Arkansas Secretary of State’s office.

Prior to public service, Wood was head of international recruitment for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and previously served as assistant director of recruitment for the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

“Judge Wood shares my enthusiasm for shrinking the size and scope of government by identifying efficiencies and bold reforms to reduce budgets, saving money and providing better services to the hardworking men and women of Arkansas,” Sanders said. “The leadership and work he has done in one of our largest counties to ensure government performs better makes him a natural choice to serve as Secretary of the Department of Transformation and Shared Services in my administration.”

“I am not shy about my desire to serve the state of Arkansas and to help make it a place where businesses grow, families move to, and government stays out of the way,” Wood said. “That’s exactly what we have done in Washington County during my tenure as County Judge, and I am humbled by the confidence Governor-elect Sanders has in me to ask that I take on this critical work. Citizens expect their government to work for them and that’s exactly what we are going to make happen.”