A $1.5 million gift to the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the U of A established the Andy and Mary Murray Endowed Chair in the Future of Commerce.

The purpose of the gift is to attract and recruit a highly qualified faculty member to serve as chair, support industry-focused research, attend and host conferences on the future of commerce and create innovative programs exposing students to technologies, people and processes shaping industry trends.

“Our goal is to find someone with industry experience at a senior level but who also has an academic background,” said Andy Murray, founder and executive chair of the Customer Centric Leadership Initiative at Walton College and founder and executive chairman of Saatchi & Saatchi X. “Ideally, they will understand and appreciate the academic process, the value of research and especially the value of teaching. They will be a leader who is passionate about making connections, networking and equipping students to enter the workforce while recognizing emerging opportunities in the future of commerce."

“We thank Andy and Mary Murray for their extraordinary vision and generosity,” said Chancellor Charles Robinson. “This gift will give our students direct access to the people, ideas and innovations shaping the future of commerce, helping ensure that the Walton College remains a leader in preparing students to thrive in a rapidly changing world.”

"We are deeply grateful to the Murrays for this transformative gift,” said Brent Williams, dean of the Walton College. “The Andy and Mary Murray Endowed Chair in the Future of Commerce will attract a leading scholar-practitioner to provide our students with cutting-edge, experiential learning, connecting them with industry and fostering innovation in this critical field."

Born and raised in Ohio, Andy Murray graduated from the Ohio Institute of Technology and started his career at Procter & Gamble. His early work in systems and warehouse technologies sparked a lifelong interest in retail operations, and in 1991, he joined the industry pioneering Procter & Gamble Walmart customer team. The move to Northwest Arkansas exposed him to the potential of retail partnerships.

“I saw early on the transformation that was happening in retail and realized this was the place where innovation and growth would thrive,” Murray said. “Northwest Arkansas offered a front-row seat to some of the most dynamic changes in the industry.”

Murray soon established his own retail brand consulting firm, BrandWorks, which later evolved into Thompson-Murray, a pioneering agency in shopper marketing. With his wife, Mary, the couple helped found the Thompson-Murray Children’s Foundation. Today, the foundation supports charities for underprivileged children in Northwest Arkansas, including the Children’s Safety Center of Washington County, where Andy serves on the Board of Directors.

Thompson-Murray gained significant recognition in the retail industry and was acquired by Publicis Groupe to form Saatchi & Saatchi X, which then established 15 offices around the world in 10 countries. Murray’s retail marketing vision and expertise eventually landed him at Walmart, in the role of SVP/Marketing U.S. and including four years in the United Kingdom as chief customer officer.

The family’s relationship with the U of A began over 20 years ago when Murray started recruiting students from Walton College for his agency. He collaborated early on with the college’s Center for Retailing Excellence and launched the Emerging Trends in Retail Conference. The conference grew into one of the most influential retail gatherings in Northwest Arkansas, while showcasing Walton College's market insight and the quality of its students.

Partnering with the center helped Murray understand the link between academic research and industry practice. “My role as the chief customer officer at Walmart ASDA informed me on the broader way customer-centric organizations should be working,” Murray said. “I shared that experience with then-Dean Matt Waller and a passion to get thought leaders in front of students and maybe influence faculty in curriculum development and get more companies engaged with the college.”

Recognizing the role Walton College could play in business innovation, Murray and Waller launched the Customer Centric Leadership Initiative in 2020. The program connects industry leaders with students and faculty, promoting multidisciplinary learning and preparing graduates for an evolving retail landscape.

“This extraordinary gift from Andy Murray marks a significant milestone in the university’s continued growth and commitment to academic excellence,” said Scott Varady, vice chancellor for advancement. “As a trailblazer in the business landscape, Andy’s leadership and vision will foster innovative industry research and inspire the next generation of scholars and leaders. This remarkable investment will leave a lasting legacy in both academia and business.”

Through decades of collaboration, Murray has helped dozens of Walton College students launch careers in retail innovation and marketing. He remains engaged with students through guest lectures on retail innovation, store environments and customer-centric thinking. He also believes institutional support and funding are essential to prepare students for leadership roles in the industry.

“The marketing world and the way we connect with consumers is being rewritten in real time,” Murray said. “Students today need to be equipped across disciplines — whether it's understanding logistics in a marketing role or applying data science in merchandising. Today, it isn't about having the right answers but knowing how to ask the right questions in order to be an end-to-end leader in commerce. This endowed chair will help bridge those silos and build more holistic business leaders.” 

Murray recognizes the need and practicality of business schools to develop trust-driven, unbiased research in collaboration with leading companies, much like a recent partnership he helped foster with Coca-Cola and the Walton College on the future of retail media networks.

“This gift is about helping the next generation see the industry with fresh eyes and giving faculty the resources to connect real-world experience with academic excellence,” Murray said. “I’m excited to see where this leads.”

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $3 billion to Arkansas’ economy  through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.