As new executive director of the Autry Museum of Western Heritage, John L. Gray wants people to know the museum isn’t just about Gene Autry.

Gray is taking over from Joanne Hale, who was the museum’s founding executive director for its first 15 years. She is retiring but will remain on the board.

Although Gray will not be taking Hale’s titles of president and chief executive, he will be handling the museum’s budget and overseeing the curators. Gray will be working under board Chairwoman Jackie Autry, wife of the late Gene Autry.

Gray wants to change the perception of the 11-year-old museum as being solely a repository of artifacts related to the singing cowboy.

“Within our galleries we have both fine art and the artifacts and images which support our view of what the West is,” Gray said. “Western heritage is about values, and the Autry takes it to a very pure, wonderful level.”

As examples, Gray mentions recent exhibits including “The Cowgirl in the West” and the current “Life and Times of Woodie Guthrie.” An upcoming exhibit that has Gray especially excited is called “Western Amerykanski: Polish Poster Art and the Western,” which features posters of American Western movies as seen in Poland.

A banker by training, Gray was most recently associate deputy administrator for capital access with the Small Business Administration in Washington. Before his post with the SBA, he was executive vice president and manager of the real estate division with First Interstate Bank in Denver and Los Angeles for more than 15 years.

“I’ve had two dreams: one to go to Washington on a policy level, two was to be involved with the management of major museum. I’m living out both dreams,” he said.

Because Gray knew his post in Washington was temporary, he kept his home in Los Angeles. “L.A. is home and I’m very glad to be back I’m thrilled to death to be here,” he said.

Jolie Gorchov