JW&R Advertising has a new name and ownership.

Ken Johnston, jw&r president, is now president, chief executive officer and partner in Johnston Wiltshire McDermott Advertising.

Johnston Wiltshire has taken up residence in the jw&r space in Brampton, Ont.

jw&r was started in 1992 with the purchase of Gall Advertising.

The agency’s restructuring and new ownership was prompted by the bankruptcy of Solcom Group, 60% owner of jw&r and parent company of Ian Roberts Ross Roy, which declared bankruptcy last December.

Johnston has been joined by partners John Wiltshire, vice-president, creative director, and Paul McDermott, vice-president, director of client services.

Wiltshire comes from nine years as vice-president, creative director at The Saffer Group, where he worked for clients such as Esso, Home Hardware and The Bay.

Before that, he was with Vickers & Benson Advertising.

McDermott, a 19-year veteran of the business, has worked with a wide variety of clients at agencies, including MacLaren and Ogilvy & Mather.

He was most recently vice-president account director at Padulo Integrated, responsible for the Ontario Honda Dealers Association, Tip Top Tailors and new business.

Johnston says the wide ranging experience of his new partners in other client categories means the agency will be branching out beyond healthcare.

Johnston Wiltshire clients include Drug Trading Company and its more than 400 stores operating across Canada under the banners I.D.A. Drugstores, Guardian Drugs and RxCentral, in addition to pharmaceutical and healthcare clients Hoffmann-LaRoche, Kenraland Sancella.