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Multicultural and Inclusive Marketing Excellence Awards Grand Jury
Vice President, Inclusive Growth and Community Impact
U.S. Bank
BIO
Gus Fernandez is a senior marketing and inclusive growth leader with 19 years of experience spanning global brand building, agency leadership, and financial services. His career bridges creativity and strategy, with a consistent focus on culturally relevant marketing that delivers measurable business and community impact.
Gus spent 13 years in the agency world, including nine years at Van Wagner, where he led large‑scale, global campaigns for iconic brands such as DIRECTV, MetLife, and Universal Pictures. His work across sports, entertainment, and sponsorship marketing sharpened his expertise in storytelling at scale, brand integration, and audience‑first strategy. He later spent three years with Group CSE (now You Are Here Agency), where he led sponsorship strategy and execution for major national brands including Cricket Wireless, AT&T, Coca‑Cola, and Synovus Bank, driving culturally relevant partnerships that connected brands authentically with diverse audiences.
For the past five years, Gus has led inclusive and multicultural marketing for U.S. Bank’s payments division, where he serves as Vice President of Inclusive Growth and Community Impact. In this role, he oversees marketing and CSR initiatives that connect the business to diverse small‑business communities, embedding inclusive growth as a core business strategy rather than a standalone initiative. He is the creator of the Small Business, Big Ambition platform, an always‑on model that blends cultural relevance, community partnerships, and performance marketing to drive growth and trust in underserved markets.
A recognized advocate for equity, allyship, and responsible marketing, Gus actively mentors emerging leaders and supports the advancement of women and underrepresented talent across the industry. He has served as a judge for the ANA Multicultural and Inclusive Marketing Excellence Awards since 2022, bringing a practitioner’s lens to evaluating work that balances cultural authenticity, creativity, and real‑world impact.
Get to know the 2026 Multicultural and Inclusive Marketing Excellence Awards Grand Jurors.