EL DORADO -- The chief executive officer of the Murphy Arts District is stepping down, the arts district has announced.
The arts district said Wednesday that Terry Stewart will resign and current President and Chief Operations Officer Pamela Griffin will transition into a new role as the nonprofit's CEO.
Stewart was a key part of the development of the arts district, serving as chairman and CEO from 2014 to present. He will stay on as chairman of the district's Board of Directors through the end of the year.
"Terry's work at MAD has left an indelible mark on El Dorado," Madison Murphy, chairman of Murphy USA, said in a release. "To have such a legendary music industry executive lead our team has been fundamental in ensuring both our past and future successes.
"Terry's dedication to the MAD project -- and El Dorado -- has been nothing short of inspirational."
Before joining the Murphy Arts District, Stewart spent 14 years as CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and seven years as president and vice chair of Marvel Entertainment. He still serves on the boards of the Austin City Limits television show; TJ Martell, a cancer research group supported heavily by the music industry; and Summerstage, the free concerts in Central Park in New York.
"I've chased every career you can think of but music was always my biggest driver," Stewart said in a release. "It has been my absolute honor to bring live music and other cultural entertainment opportunities to El Dorado. Moreover, this is the most important and transformative position in my long career."
Stewart oversaw the district's launch, including the kickoff concert with Brad Paisley in 2017. Since then, the venues within the arts district have hosted artists at every stage of their careers, from Migos to Hank Williams Jr., and has drawn national attention to the south Arkansas town of 18,000.
"Terry brought a lot of credibility to our organization in the early years of development," Griffin said. "It has been an absolute joy working with him, getting to know him, and I'm going to miss him dearly."
Stewart's decision to retire is in part due to the coronavirus pandemic and the hardships that come with the frequent travel as the covid-19 virus continues to spread.
"He lives full time in Cleveland, and he's been commuting from Cleveland to El Dorado every week for six years now, and with covid he has not been able to travel," Griffin said. "So with everything that's going on, the timing felt right for his transition."
Griffin said she is excited about stepping into her new role and has a vision for the work she will do as CEO.
"I want to continue growing the organization to be the arts and entertainment destination for the region," she said. "That includes concerts, but also partnering with local businesses and organizations."
The pandemic is one of the big challenges Griffin will have to contend with as the CEO is the current pandemic. Currently, the arts district does not have any concrete plans regarding its reopening. The district is thankful for its continued local support, she said, but officials hope local residents continue to be patient as the district navigates the circumstances brought on by the virus.
"We're in such an unprecedented time, and the real fact of the matter is we don't know where this virus is headed," Griffin said. "We've been closed since mid-March, and we are unsure of a reopen date."
Griffin said she will continue to find ways to engage with the community while honoring public health guidelines related to covid-19.
"We don't want to be a reason why this virus continues any longer than it has to," Griffin said. "We're trying to balance that with our customer demands for something to do. That's why we started MAD Movie Mondays. We thought that would be a good place to start."
Throughout the summer, the arts district has hosted regular educational workshops with local artist and educator Gay Bechtelheimer through Facebook Live. Bechtelheimer also hosted a regular "Meet the Artist" question-and-answer series with artists from the region who have gone on to have success.
The district's Farmers Market resumed June 13. It's closed for the rest of this month but will resume again in September after the fall harvest.