The Communications Group announces ownership transition

BusinessCentral ArkansasNews Briefs

by Roby Brock ([email protected]) ago 37 views 

The Communications Group, one of Arkansas’ longest-operating independent full-service marketing, public relations and communications agencies, announced an ownership transition Tuesday (July 14).

The agency is now jointly owned by longtime shareholders Dane Cowling, co-founder and creative director, and Lisa Van Hook, MA, APR, agency president.

The ownership change is part of a succession plan built around co-founder and chairman Dan Cowling III retiring from agency ownership in May. Dan Cowling and Dane Cowling are brothers.

The new ownership marks the next chapter in the firm’s nearly four-decade history. Dan Cowling and Dane Cowling were two of the four founders who helped build ComGroup from a startup venture launched in downtown Little Rock in 1987 into an award-winning integrated marketing, communications and public relations firm serving a global roster of clients.

“Few agencies have the opportunity to successfully navigate a transition like this while remaining independent and founder-led,” said co-founder Dane Cowling. “What makes this moment special is that we’re not changing who we are. We’re continuing a story that began nearly 40 years ago with an entrepreneurial vision and a belief that strategic communications can create meaningful value for our clients.”

Van Hook has been part of the ComGroup for nearly three decades. She joined the agency in the late 1990s to help launch the Arkansas ARKids First program and has since helped lead the agency through significant growth, industry transformation and expansion of its integrated service offerings.

“It is an incredible privilege to build on the foundation Dan, Dane and the agency’s founders created,” said Van Hook. “ComGroup has never stood still. Throughout our history, we’ve adapted to new technologies, changing markets and evolving client needs while staying true to the principles that have guided us since 1987. This ownership change represents continuity, planning, and a renewed commitment to working in partnership with our clients to help them navigate increasingly complex business environments.”

Since it was founded in 1987, ComGroup has worked with a diverse roster of local, regional and national organizations, including Mercedez-Benz Trucks, Jacuzzi, ABB, Toyota Material Handling, Windsor Door and Innovation Industries.