Sanders Appoints Russellville’s Johnny Brazil to State Parks Commission
Sarah Huckabee Sanders has appointed Johnny Brazil of Russellville to the Arkansas State Parks, Recreation and Travel Commission, with a term set to expire January 14, 2032.
Brazil replaces Blair Allen on the commission.
Brazil currently serves as a member of the Russellville Recreation & Parks Commission, according to the City of Russellville.
He is also the owner of Jackalope Cycling, a River Valley bicycle shop that caters to the region’s growing cycling and mountain biking community.
Arkansas’s outdoor economy has become a defining part of the state’s identity, particularly in regions like the River Valley and Northwest Arkansas, where trail development and cycling tourism have drawn national attention. The Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism reports that state parks and outdoor recreation generate significant travel activity and visitor spending each year.
In a 2022 interview with About River Valley Magazine, Brazil described the River Valley as “The Hub” for Arkansas outdoors because of its proximity to destinations such as Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, the Buffalo River, Lake Dardanelle, and the Ozark Highlands Trail.
He said the region’s access to mountain biking, trout fishing, backpacking, rock climbing, and paddling sets it apart within the state.
In just the last decade, Arkansas has emerged as a national mountain biking hotspot, as new bike trails pull in riders from coast to coast and keep the tourism season going all year long.
Brazil told the Arkansas Reporter, “I am honored to fill this position in our state. When it comes to outdoor recreation, Arkansas is such an incredibly diverse state. Outside of salt or snow, we have world-class quality in nearly every other outdoor activity, which has kept me outside enjoying and developing a passion to protect and share our natural resources. With that experience and my time running outdoor recreation businesses, I hope to help strengthen user experiences and aid all the people it takes to keep everything running and growing.”
Brazil has advocated for the River Valley to embrace and brand itself around outdoor recreation, arguing that stronger promotion of its assets could improve workforce recruitment, student retention at Arkansas Tech University, and overall quality of life for Arkansans.
With a background rooted in local parks leadership and a business built around cycling culture, Brazil brings years of outdoor advocacy to the role. His appointment places a longtime outdoor advocate on the commission responsible for guiding Arkansas’s state park system and recreation strategy.