Max Lefeld, Principal/Creative Director

Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Max strongly believes that you cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore. His career began 20 years ago as a copywriter at Lintas and he went on to work at some of the world's leading agencies including Leo Burnett, J. Walter Thompson, Ogilvy & Mather, & Publicis. His portfolio covers a spectrum of industries with icon brands such as Coca-Cola, Procter and Gamble, Unilever, Nestle, Kraft, Kellogg, Ford Motor Co., Heinz.

Prior to Co.Jones, Max was Chief Creative Officer in charge of creative development for Nissan, Budweiser, Michelob, ALLTEL, Ocean Spray, Texas Rangers and the Dallas Mavericks. His work has crossed cultural barriers and has been recognized through countless awards including Clio, NY Festival, FIAP, Addy's, O'Toole, Telly's, ANDA, Adage Hispanic Creative Awards, HispanicAd, and Se Habla Español.

In 2004, Max chose to set sail on a different course and once again left behind past traditions and approaches in search of new solutions by launching Co.Jones, a Latino agency with a bold vision of creating a culture where courage is rewarded and where innovation leads. Passionately creative, brilliantly strategic, with a dash of biting wit; one thing's for sure, Max's visionary approach delivers results.

Fernando Rubio, Managing Partner, creative director

Graduated from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City –
In 1988, he began his career as an assistant broadcast producer at his father's advertising agency in Mexico City. Later joined McCann Erickson Mexico City as a copywriter where he worked on the Coca-Cola account for four years. Fernando moved to Texas to work for Larkin, Meeder & Schweidel (now Marc USA) as copywriter on the Holiday Inn/Crowne Plaza Hotels account for Latin America. In 1994, joined Siboney USA, Inc. and focused specifically on the U.S. Hispanic market while working on various Nestlé brands. After several successful years and having opened the company's Los Angeles office, he moved to Dieste Harmel & Partners as a senior copywriter on the Southwest Airlines, Frito-Lay, 7-Elevn, Pepsi, and Wrangler.

Fernando made a quick jump to Ornelas & Associates in 2001 where he won several prestigious awards while working on the Budweiser, Nissan, Nike, Bank One, Alltel, and Dallas Mavericks accounts. Back at Dieste Harmel & Partners in September of 2002 as a Creative Director, he has worked on various accounts where he was instrumental in developing award-winning work. His accounts included SBC, Cingular, Pfizer, Hyundai, Southwest Airlines, Gamesa, Nationwide Insurance, Pilgrims Pride Chicken, Western Union, and Pepsi. In July 2007, became Executive Creative Director at CINCO, and in 2009, Fernando met once again with Max Lefeld, at Co.Jones to tag team and seize newer opportunities.

Some recent awards:
• Gold David Ogilvy Award for Pfizer health program Sana la Rana
• Clio for Nissan Frontier
• Silver David Ogilvy Award for Pfizer Lipitor
• New York Festivals Silver for Frito-Lay print
• New York Festivals Silver for Hyundai Sonata
• FIAP Silver for Dallas Mavericks radio
• ADDY Gold for Hyundai Accent
• ADDY Gold for Hyundai Elantra
• FIAP Short List for Hyundai Sonata
• Cannes Short List for Budweiser

Karla Armendáriz, Managing Partner/Director of Client Services

Born and raised on the US/Mexico border in Presidio, Texas, Karla knows firsthand the reality of living in a bicultural world.

She received her double major in Communications/Journalism and Spanish from the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. Upon graduation she immediately went to work for a top Hispanic ad agency in the country and over the course of 15 years has established herself as a seasoned Hispanic consumer specialist. Her experience helping clients penetrate the U.S. Hispanic market spans strategic planning, advertising, field marketing, promotional/event marketing and account management.

Karla has helped many of the nation's top brands establish themselves in the Hispanic marketplace. Among them are Denny's Restaurants, Perrier, Nissan, Daimler-Chrysler, Toyota, Subaru, First National Bank of Nebraska, United Supermarkets, Eurosport also includes working on non-profit categories such as Mensa and Carter BloodCare. Today, Karla leads Hispanic efforts for Tequila Don Julio, Barri Financial Group and Rent-A-Center.

Brand Experience

  • Nissan
  • Coca-Cola
  • Budweiser
  • Toyota
  • Rent-A-Center
  • Jack Daniel's
  • Michelob
  • Michelob Light
  • Michelob Ultra
  • Procter and Gamble
  • Kellogg's
  • Ford
  • Gatorade
  • Heinz
  • Kodak
  • Unilever
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Texas Rangers
  • Bank One
  • Compass Bank
  • Nike
  • Alltel
  • Southwest Airlines
  • United Way
  • Denny's Restaurants
  • Diageo
  • Cuervo
  • Nestlé
  • United Airlines
  • Nationwide Insurance
  • Cellular One
  • Sedano's Supermarket
  • Zales Jewerly Store
  • Banco Mercantil
  • The Associates F.S.
  • Frigilux
  • Selecto Rums
  • Black Label Scotch
  • Santa Teresa Rums.
  • Pomar Wines
  • Concha y Toro Wines
  • Polar Beer
  • FIAT
  • Banco Latino
  • KLM Airlines
  • Oscar Mayer
  • Cremerca S.F.
  • Maraven Oil Co
  • Mini Cooper
  • Frica Juices
  • American Express
  • Aruba Tourism Board
  • Banco del Caribe
  • Aceite El Rey
  • Miller Lite
  • Greyhound
  • Maseca
  • A-Affordable Insurance
  • Pfizer Viagra
  • Lipitor
  • Pepsi
  • Pier 1
  • Long John Silvers
  • GlaxoSmithKline
  • Chili's
  • Wrangler
  • D.R.Horton
  • Ryland Homes
  • AT&T
  • Intel
  • Pizza Patrón
  • Sony