Ed Cantu

As Director of Marketing Services for Lopez Negrete Communications and Executive Group Account Director for Tippit & Moo Advertising, Ed Cantú is a bit of a hybrid. Within the organization, Ed serves as both the Brand Leadership and Strategic Planning lead on his accounts. And, for nearly the past four years his work has included leading Hispanic efforts for the RBFF (Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation) where his mission is to increase Hispanic participation in boating, fishing and conservation. And, for the past year, Ed has also served on the Corporate Council for the TRCP (Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership). As you might have guessed, for the past 25 years; and, regardless of the hat he’s wearing at the time, Ed’s undisputed subject matter expertise is the US Hispanic market.

Officially, Ed’s background has focused on research, account planning, new business and strategic development. His universe centers on the who, what, where, when and why of Hispanic consumer behavior, attitudes and influences. His business building experience and expertise mining deep insights into the U.S. Hispanic market prove time after time to be indispensable to his clients’ bottom lines.

Ed’s professional life includes time as journalist in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving as Marketing Specialist for the Texas Department of Agriculture, Director of Economic Development for the Austin/Travis County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Sr. Research Associate at a leading market research company in Austin and his advertising work includes general market work with both Leo Burnett and Ogilvy, both Chicago.

Ed was a Barbara Jordan Scholar in the Master’s program at the L.B.J. School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas – Austin and received an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation fellowship to attend Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. And, he’s proud to hold a degree in Political Science from what is now known as the University of Texas-RGV.

On a more personal note, Ed hails from the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. He and his wife of 30 years have a 26-year-old daughter. Get to know Ed. You’ll soon come to understand why when Ed Cantú speaks, people listen.

Ed will speak at the panel, ‘Outdoor Recreation and Cultural Relevancy‘ on Friday, October 14 at 3:30 PM as part of the 2016 SHIFT Summit.

Tickets for the 2016 SHIFT Festival can be found here.