In 1992, Paul Lavoie co-founded TAXI with partner Jane Hope, successfully combining the disciplines of advertising and design. Growing into seven offices in Canada, the U.S., and Europe, and with an expanded product offering, TAXI remains independent and committed to its original vision. TAXI has been recognized in the industry for its fresh, unconventional approach, creating consistently strong brands for companies such as BMW/MINI, WestJet, Canadian Tire, Blue Shield of California, Pfizer/VIAGRA, and TELUS. TAXI has been named Agency of the Year by Canadian publications for seven years and has been recognized as one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies for the last five years. Since arriving in the U.S. in 2005, TAXI garnered the AAAA Creative Excellence Award (100 employees) in 2007 and again in 2008.

Marketing magazine, in August 2008, named Lavoie one of the 10 most influential pioneers in Canadian marketing over the past century. In 2006, he was listed by Creativity magazine among the 50 most influential creative minds of the last 20 years. That year, he also became the youngest inductee of the Canadian Marketing Hall of Legends. In 2007, Paul received the Spiess award for lifetime achievement by the Canadian Bessies Awards. Paul is the President of The Art Directors Club Advisory Board, a member of the Marketing Advisory Committee of the MoMA, and a board member of the Virginia Commonwealth University Brandcenter.

What Clients Say:

“Paul is made up of the following: irreverence, passion, quality, humanity, practicality and intelligence.” “Paul is one of the last truly original creative people in this town. If creative is a funnel, Paul operates at the top – at 50,000 feet – finding you the freshest ideas in the world.”

Known throughout the advertising industry for his passion and energy, Rob has worked on both the client and agency sides of the business.  As a client, he was with Unilever for 14 years before moving to Molson in 2000 as a brand VP, and later as VP Global Advertising Director.  Rob joined TAXI Canada in 2004 as President, and has been the Global CEO since 2008, with responsibility for Canada, the U.S., and Europe.

Rob combines his passion for advertising, design, culture, and the arts with what he calls a “blue collar” management style.  He built his early career as a marketer with a reputation for buying the best work that the advertising industry could produce.  A profile in Strategy magazine described him as “the most outspoken and successful evangelist for making advertising that has attitude.” 

Steve Mykolyn joined TAXI in 2001 as Creative Director of Interactive and Design. The Toronto-based agency is recognized globally for its ability to seamlessly combine Advertising, Interactive and Design under one roof. Prior to joining TAXI, Steve was Creative Director at Organic Inc. and ICE. Over the last ten years, he has produced online campaigns for Sony, Levi’s, NIKE and MINI, winning hundreds of awards including Cyber gold at Cannes, a Pencil at the One Show, D&AD and Communication Arts. Steve also has a passion for books and film. In 1997, he wrote and directed El Dia La Noche Y Los Muertos, an award-winning documentary about Mexico’s Day of the Dead Festival. The film was chosen to close Hispanic Heritage Month at the Smithsonian Institute. Steve’s books include the writing and design of Amusing World for photographer Russell Monk as well as Metal Leather Flesh, an exploration of motorcycle culture.

What Clients Say:

“Our challenge was coming up with something that could speak to three totally different audiences. Steve listened to our needs and came back with the right choices. The point is – he listened, he got it and he helped us get it.” “I’m always intrigued when he does a presentation. He’s laid back. And this, coupled with his sense of humour, lets him say things that others wouldn’t get away with. It’s always fun to have Steve in the room and to see something through his eyes. It can be quite different than what’s expected.”

Jeremy combines strong leadership and business skill with an immense passion for communications and culture. He is known for his high standards and encouraging new thinking in all forms. His astute management skills have made him a strong leader, regularly counted on to understand and clarify business issues.

After six years at Grey Worldwide working on businesses like P&G, Unilever, GSK, and Canon, Jeremy joined TAXI Canada as Group Director, managing all communications for TELUS Mobility, Corporate and Business Solutions Groups. Next, as TAXI’s Client Services Director, he led, mentored, and developed TAXI’s Account Services Group while it tripled in size over a two-year period.  In 2006, Jeremy opened and led TAXI 2, the much-anticipated TAXI offspring. Over the past four years, TAXI 2 has grown to be a full-service agency with it s own client base that includes MINI, Koodo, Burger King, Yellow Pages and Johnson & Johnson.  In July 2009, Jeremy returned to the Toronto headquarters to assume leadership of both TAXI Toronto and TAXI 2 offices as General Manager. In July 2010, he was appointed President of TAXI Canada’s English operations. For the past six years, Jeremy has been a member of TAXI Canada’s Executive Management Group, responsible for the overall operations and management of the agency.

Jeremy was recognized as one of Strategy Magazine’s Next Generation Marketing Icons in 2007. Jeremy is a board member of Covenant House in Toronto, and a past board and executive committee member of the ICA.

Maxine thrives on the combination of a tough strategic challenge and a blank piece of paper. As TAXI’s Executive Strategic Director, Maxine is brought in to unlock the answers to high-level challenges and to provide guidance on how corporate strategies can successfully be brought to life in the marketplace. The scope of her work includes brand communications, but more often than not she is focused on the longer-term vision of the clients she works with, helping them to identify, define, and implement the internal and external initiatives that help shape the future success of companies and their brands.

Since joining TAXI in 1996, Maxine has seen the inner workings and opportunities of companies across many sectors, including telecommunications, insurance, packaged goods, retail, entertainment, beverage, alcohol, pharmaceutical and healthcare, financial services, and academic institutions to name a few. She has led TAXI’s strategic efforts on behalf of some of Canada’s largest corporations, including WestJet, Canadian Tire and McCain.

A big believer in collaboration, Maxine encourages a client-agency relationship that makes boundaries go away and vision and consensus appear in their place.

Nancy brings abundant enthusiasm and creativity to anything she touches. If it seems like she has a lot of creative flair for a “suit,” maybe it’s because she’s the daughter of a painter. Or maybe it was her time at the Ontario College of Art & Design that did it. Nancy’s strengths are many, including strong listening skills and an innate ability to get right to the point and ask pertinent questions in order to find the best and most decisive path to a solution. Throughout many different roles in the broader marketing industry, she has always been a passionate believer in the power of the brand to shape perceptions and accomplish business objectives. Before joining TAXI in 2003, Nancy learned her stuff working on Canada Post, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, and a certain mega-retailer that starts with “Wal.”

Russ wants to pique your interest. He believes that brand stories work harder when they are meaningful and engaging, so he will make a point of getting inside the consumer’s head, his team’s head, your head – whatever it takes to pull out a gem of insight or an unexpected way to engage. This approach has meant Russ has adopted many forms of investigation and dialogue to lead his team and his clients. Whether brand evangelist, therapist, guardian, consumer champion, or agency advocate, his intent is always building brands and building business. Russ took the reins as Managing Director of TAXI Calgary in October 2008 following four years at TAXI Toronto where he led the Nike, Molson, and McCain businesses. Prior to joining TAXI, Russ worked on the Canadian Tourism, Panasonic, and Michelin accounts at DDB Canada. Truly tireless in his quest to engage and deliver results, Russ spends his time outside the office shouting himself hoarse in support of his beloved Irish Rugby team.

A reputation as a tough creative critic with a relentless work ethic is behind Darren’s international accolades, not the least of which was having his Bud Light spot receive the #1 ranking in the USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter. You might remember that game. Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake played the halftime show. Wardrobe malfunctions aside, Darren’s work has been recognized at all major awards shows, including multiple golds at Cannes, The One Show, and the D&AD.

Jordan has a natural talent for communicating and collaborating with people. Her commitment to understanding clients marketing challenges and her ease with multiple communication channels enables Jordan to translate these into effective creative solutions time after time.

Over Jordan’s 11 years in the industry, her focus on the success of her clients and colleagues has garnered her a reputation as a valued leader. At TAXI since 2005 she made her mark on accounts such as MINI, Jack Astors and Koodo while growing her role from senior copywriter to Associate Creative Director and later National Creative Director on TELUS.
Jordan’s work has been recognized by The Cassies, The One Show, The Clios, Cannes and Applied Arts, but it is the reviews from her peers and clients that made her the perfect fit to lead TAXI Vancouver’s creative team.

Rose’s quest to marry creativity and business began at school when she sold a drawing of Duran Duran’s John Taylor for 50 cents. Flush with early success, the idea of becoming an art director soon took hold of her. Beginning her career at MacLaren McCann, Rose spent five years working on everything from GM to Nestle to Coke before joining TAXI in 2001. Rose is an attentive listener, both to her client’s needs and to the rhythm of the world around her. Beneath her quiet presence simmers a razor sharp wit and a keen eye for detail. This combination has been at the heart of impactful and award-winning campaigns for TELUS, MINI, Molson, Nike and Reitmans. As Creative Director for TELUS Consumer Solutions, Rose leads creative teams to raise the bar season after season across diverse media and markets. Rose’s work has been recognized by The One Show, Communication Arts, New York Art Director’s Club, Obies as well as all the major Canadian shows. Perhaps bolstered by these accolades, Rose doesn’t shrink from attention. Her commitment to 80’s rock lives on in countless karaoke sessions.

If it seems like Dave has a feeling for the intricate rhythms of design, it comes to him naturally. A born lover of music, his dream of playing drums for the Rolling Stones was crushed at an early age. However, he quickly rebounded and turned his attention to design. Dave is, and will always be, an idea man. He believes that although visual trends may come and go, good ideas are timeless. Over the last 10 years, Dave has created international award-winning work for such clients as Nike, MINI, Butterfield & Robinson, Molson and the LCBO. After a previous 4-year stint at TAXI, Dave was excited to return in 2006. He was named Creative Director in 2007. He looks forward to growing TAXI’s philosophy of holistic branding long into the future. Unless, of course, he gets the call from the Stones.

Two decades ago Brian saw the future and it was pixels. In the years since, Brian’s work has spanned the digital spectrum, including online marketing, strategy, user experience design, web development, and media planning. And he’s done it for some of the best, including stints as Director of Marketing Strategy at Sapient and Director of Engagement Management at Organic.

He’s built and led teams in the development of large-scale online acquisition and retention initiatives and has deep experience leveraging online, social, and mobile platforms to transform traditional sales and customer service models. In other words, he’s done it all.

Brian has brought his talent to dozens of brands, including Canadian Tourism Commission, TELUS, Bell, Rogers, RIM, Scotiabank, KeyBank, RBC, Bank of Montreal, Harris Bank, TD Canada Trust, Honda/Acura, BlackBerry, The Brick, Under Armour, SportsNet, Benjamin Moore and Apple.

Ben knows what’s at the forefront of technology, but he also knows human nature. His wisdom is in mining the space in between, and in understanding that a true technology solution doesn’t need to be complicated – it needs to be compelling. Ben began building interactive solutions back in the infancy of the Internet, when CD ROMs and kiosks where as cool as it got. As the Web evolved, Ben was there, eager to find new ways to respond to clients’ needs from the simplest sites to full-fidelity experiences. Now Ben’s definition of cool is helping teams bring ideas to life with technology solutions well measured and well matched to the challenge. Prior to TAXI, Ben was Senior Manager of Interactive Development at industry heavyweight Sapient. There he had a hand in some of the largest interactive projects in North America. Career highlights include numerous industry accolades for work on Benjamin Moore, Canadian Tourism Commission, Bell Canada, Sprint Canada, and the Bank of Montreal. In 2005 and 2006, Ben was a judge at the technology and design show Flash in the Can (FITC).

Cynthia joined TAXI in 2007 as VP, INTEGRATED PRODUCTION for all TAXI offices. In this capacity, she manages a motivated staff of producers covering all TV, Radio and Digital production needs. She has built an integrated production team and developed innovative production methods to problem solve creative within any size budget. Department capabilities also include shooting and editing expertise as well.

She oversees production and business needs on hundreds of productions on almost all continents.

Prior to her move to TAXI Cynthia was the Director of Production and Resources for the English Television Network at the CBC. Her core responsibility was to contribute to the shaping of future operational and production directions within Network. This included accountability for setting strategic directions on operational and production issues within TV operations, identifying and implementing new techniques, methods and approaches to deal with production issues and supporting CBC’s production values.

Cynthia has worked for 20 years in production at various agencies. She spent six years at BBDO prior to the CBC managing their broadcast department and a post production facility, as well as Young & Rubicam in roles from Producer to Department Manager.

She has also worked on the Film Production side at the Partners Film Co. as a line producer

Cynthia also co-chairs the Institute of Canadian Advertising’s Production Committee and been actively involved in Industry issues and negotiation committees for union contracts with ACTRA.

She is a graduate of Queen’s University and Ryerson’s Post-Graduate Journalism program.

To put it in financial terms, Ron’s tireless energy, enthusiasm, and drive have been a prime asset in the steady growth of TAXI. Stretching metaphors to the extreme, we could say that, to his credit, TAXI has grown tenfold and evolved into a network, with Ron invested in providing a strong financial balance sheet. Or that Ron earned his previous experience at Ralston Purina and Gucci Timepieces. Or that his biggest dividend has been TAXI being named one of Canada’s 50 best managed companies every year since 2003. But Ron doesn’t need plays on words to describe his always refreshing perspective and his unwavering support of the creative process.

With over 16 years of experience within the branding and communications industry, Simon has developed a unique approach to IT solutions for enterprise.  By putting people first and technology second, he brings a human approach to IT, providing solutions that support the creative and business goals along with a foundation for continued success.

Todd brings to TAXI a wealth of financial and strategic knowledge, a proven track record of business success and strong business acumen.  After receiving his Chartered Accountancy and Certified Internal Auditor designations with Arthur Andersen, Todd went on to become a Controller at Iams Canada where he was responsible for redesigning and implementing a new framework of financial reporting and instituting a sound suite of internal controls. Todd would later join Maple Leaf Foods, a tenure that included developing new products in conjunction with the marketing department. His leadership abilities and vast skill set were utilized in the role of Director, Product Management, a responsibility that encompassed sales, manufacturing and strategy for half a billion dollars of product. He also served as the Senior Director of Internal Audit Services at Loblaw Companies. It was at Loblaw where he fine-tuned his skills around policy and procedure appraisals and risk management reviews and implementation.