Fifth generation (5G) wireless communication is on the horizon and presents opportunities for significant technological advancement for years to come. As part of this important technology, millimeter wave communication has become a very important focus of research. In this frequency spectra, material properties begin to change, and it becomes difficult to form structures that operate in a desirable way. To effectively control wave behavior in the millimeter wave regime it is proposed to utilize the concept of metamaterials in which we design engineered materials that behave in a predictable way to achieve desired outcomes. The current research establishes an improved understanding of the behavior of artificial magnetic conductors and their interaction with radiating structures in the near-field. To validate the approach, a series of novel artificial magnetic conductor unit cells are presented that exhibit very wideband performance in conjunction with a variety of frequency independent antennas.