George L. San Jose, Vice-Chairman of CAMCO, is the President and Chief Operating Officer of a leading independent marketing communications agency specializing in the U.S. Hispanic and Latin American markets. With his more than 29 years of experience, he oversees all creative executions and strategic direction for the agency’s clients. With a passion for creativity, George has developed a trademarked creative process for Hispanic advertising, which has yielded numerous awards and recognition from industry leaders and peers. Most importantly, his strategic and tactical expertise has translated into $5.1 billion in incremental sales for numerous clients and Fortune 500 companies throughout his career.

     Born in Havana, Cuba, George immigrated to Spain as a young boy with his family and later moved to West New York. To fulfill his patriotic duties to his new homeland, he volunteered to serve in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War, and eventually went on to work his way thought college. 

     An entrepreneur at heart, George founded his agency in Chicago in 1981 to help clients reach the U.S. Hispanic market in meaningful, measurable ways. To better assist clients in seizing growth opportunities in Latin America, he also created a conglomerate of marketing firms with reach into every country in Central and South America.

     A true pioneer in the industry, George began his career more than three decades ago in New York as vice president/executive creative director for Spanish Advertising and Marketing Services (SAMS) - the first and ultimately largest agency cited for launching the U.S. Hispanic “Madison Avenue” advertising era.

    George has been recognized by Crain’s “Who’s Who,” Advertising Age and USA Today as a true industry visionary. He is a frequent speaker on Hispanic marketing strategy, has published numerous industry articles and has authored a book on the standards and practices of Hispanic advertising. He is co-founder of the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies (AHAA) and continues to shape the industry by actively participating in Hispanic marketing seminars and conferences, providing guidance to Hispanic marketing students at local universities and volunteering his time to mentor up-and-coming Hispanic marketers.

    Recognized for his commitment to community service, in 1999 the President of the United States appointed George to serve as director and chairman of the Selected Services System Board of Appeals.