About (old) | CMA Design

Leading experts in creating brand love for more than 25 years.

Welcome to CMA. We create strategically driven packaging and creative branding for some of the most iconic brands in America.

Whether you’re interested in building a new brand from the ground up, or renewing and extending a classic, we can take you all the way from strategy to finished packaging that resonates with consumers.

We are: straightforward, creative, strategic, pragmatic, good humored, and on time.

We like to maintain long-term relationships, both with our clients and with the people we work with every day. That’s why our clients, their consumers, and our employees stick around for decades. That’s what we call Brand Love.

What can you expect when you work with CMA?

Clarity.

No unpleasant budget surprises. In our initial proposal you’ll get a perfectly clear description of the work we will deliver and what it will cost at each stage of a multi-stage design process.

Bandwidth.

We have enough design horsepower to manage large projects without overstraining our people or missing your target dates.

Completion.

We’re oriented toward getting you from strategic marketing document to finished production packaging that works from packing line all the way to the consumer’s home. We know a beautiful design that tests well is just the beginning of the process.

Our attention.

You have it. We’re only as good as our last project with any of the brands we work with. No resting on laurels, or leaning on a long-term contract.

CMA Principals

Bryan Sawyer

President

Bryan founded CMA in 1985, and has more than 34 years of experience in the printing and packaging industries, including seven years as manager of Creative Services for Coca-Cola Foods. Among the brands Bryan has brought to CMA are Nature Sweet and Imperial Sugar, as well as our longest-standing client Minute Maid, who have been with us from the beginning. Bryan takes a collaborative approach to each project, placing a high value on close teamwork between CMA and the client. A deep understanding of both the strategic and technical requirements of CPG packaging, combined with precise client communications, is his formula for success. An avid sailor, in his rare spare time Bryan can often be found navigating the closest large body of water available, or on his deck overlooking Galveston Bay.

Melanie Hoo

Vice President

Melanie came to CMA in 2001, bringing experience gained in five years with the Coca-Cola Company and nine years with Procter & Gamble. A lover of clever words and beautiful things, she can’t resist a good typographic design solution, and she values the can-do attitude and spirit of the CMA team.
Born in Jamaica, Melanie took her B.F.A. in graphic design from the Ontario College of Art. She worked in Toronto, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C before arriving in Houston, where she enjoys the shortest motorized commute at CMA. When she’s not managing and directing design for clients, Melanie can be found designing jewelry in her home studio.

Bob Milz

Creative Director

Bob joined CMA as creative director 1990. After earning his B.F.A. with a concentration in advertising and graphic design from the University of Texas, Bob embarked on a 38 year-and-counting career in art direction and design, including fifteen years in advertising with Y&R, Bozell & Jacobs, and Benton & Bowles. Bob cites the work of designer Paula Scher, art director Steven Heller, and sculptor James Surls among his inspirations. When he’s not putting his creative skills to use at CMA, Bob can be found at home making chips and sawdust with an array of typographic woodcarving projects.

Rob Sawyer

Managing Director

After graduating from Texas A&M with his B.S.S. in International Logistics & Economics, Rob continued to develop the strong analytical skills he honed while earning his degree. In 2010 Rob found creative balance for his analytical approach at CMA, joining a team with a deep bench of designers who bring a wide range of individual design approaches to every project. He finds inspiration in the works of illustrator Matt Allen and artist Tyler Warren. Born and bred in Houston, Rob is a self-described closet illustrator and lover of vintage surfboards.