McClung served as executive vice president of the Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association from 2009-17, generating membership growth over that span and creating the Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Class, designed to develop leadership skills for tomorrow’s agricultural leaders. McClung died suddenly Aug. 6, 2017, at the age of 37. His relentless efforts to bring positive change to the beef industry, and all of agriculture, spurred the White House and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to recognize him in 2014 as one of 15 “Champions of Change” from across the country. A native of Conway, McClung attended Eastern Oklahoma State College and Oklahoma State University on livestock judging scholarships, earning a bachelor’s degree in animal science from OSU. He was director of membership at the Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association from 2006-08, then moved on to the Oklahoma Beef Council as director of industry relations. He returned to Arkansas in 2009 to lead the membership and legislative efforts of the Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association.