LITTLE ROCK – Governor Asa Hutchinson has appointed Little Rock businessman Philip Tappan to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Mr. Tappan will replace Andrew Parker, whose seven-year term expires today.

“Philip Tappan’s business savvy, his love of the outdoors, and his commitment to conserve the beauty of the Natural State will serve Arkansas well as he assumes his position as a Game and Fish commissioner,” Governor Hutchinson said today. “Philip’s life experiences and quiet leadership are a perfect fit for the commission as the members work to promote and preserve Arkansas’s great outdoors.”

Mr. Tappan is the managing partner of Tappan Land & Water, which owns the majority interest in Quality Foods LLC (Purple Cow Restaurants). Mr. Tappan says his mother was a “fanatical birdwatcher” and his father was an avid duck hunter. His interest in conserving land is a natural outgrowth of his love for the outdoors and hunting, he says.

“With the human impact on our globe, this is a wonderful opportunity for me to participate in the stewardship of our state’s rich portfolio of properties,” Mr. Tappan said. “We can continue to turn the tide for re-habitation of our forests and restoration of wildlife in ways that will benefit our entire state.”