[3] At the age of 23, McLarty ran successfully for the Arkansas House of Representatives, serving one term (1971–73) under Governor Dale Bumpers.

[8] McLarty also helped create the IMPAC program, which worked to mobilize private sector support for putting personal computers in Arkansas classrooms.

[9] McLarty was named the youngest board member of the Fortune 500 natural gas company Arkla, Inc., becoming its chief executive officer in 1983.

[6] In the first year of the Clinton presidency, McLarty and his team helped to put in place President Clinton's deficit reduction plan; set up the first National Economic Council; passed the Family and Medical Leave law; passed NAFTA and facilitated the passage and signing of the Brady Bill.

[14] In recognition of his work, McLarty was awarded the Secretary of State's Distinguished Service Medal and the highest civilian honors of seven Latin American countries.

[16] After leaving government, he founded an international strategic advisory firm, in partnership with fellow White House alumnus Nelson Cunningham,[17] and later Henry Kissinger.

McLarty Associates, based in Washington D.C., is a global team of former ambassadors and senior foreign policy experts, journalists, and business leaders, with expertise in all the world's major markets.