Darin Gray Elevated to Chairman, CEO of CJRW

CJRW of Little Rock announced Monday that Darin Gray is the advertising firm’s new chairman and CEO.

Gray, the former owner of Gray Matters Inc., parent company of the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal, was named president of CJRW in 2014, part of a long-term leadership transition plan that was put in place in 2013.

The announcement was made by Wayne Woods, 67, who has served as chairman and CEO since 2010. Woods, who has been with the firm since 1970, will assume chairman emeritus status and manage the agency’s publications division, publisher of numerous tourism-related publications annually.

Woods made the announcement to staff members Monday morning as they gathered for the agency’s first official day at its new headquarters in Little Rock’s “Creative Corridor” at the corner of Third and Main streets.

“Over the course of the last 18 months, the decision to designate Darin as my successor as chairman and CEO has been validated time and time again,” Woods said in a company news release. “He has broad experience in leading, managing and growing businesses and has played an instrumental role not only in our move to Main Street, but in positioning us for continued success moving forward.”

Woods cited expansion of the firm’s digital and interactive division and realignment and reorganization of several divisions as part of that positioning.

In addition to assuming the role of Chairman and CEO, Gray, 50, will also retain the position and duties as agency president.

“I could not be more humbled by the confidence Wayne and the board of directors have placed in me to lead this great firm,” Gray said. “CJRW is an iconic Arkansas business that has helped countless clients succeed since it was founded. It has clearly set the standard for excellence in our industry and we will continue to set that standard moving forward.”

CJRW, founded in 1961, also has an office on Corporate Center Drive just off the Johnson exit in Springdale.