Rich Odato, President
Rich Odato's background ranges from reciting TV commercials at age two to now running one of southwest Florida's fastest growing agencies, with a wealth of experiences in between. After earning a dual major/dual minor degree from the University of Pittsburgh and starting as a journalist and as a sales rep, Rich settled into a marketing communications role with Pittsburgh Mercy Health System's award-winning in-house agency, where he handled routine and crisis public relations, won "Best of the Web" recognition, produced television, radio and print campaigns and received intensive training in media planning and placement to manage the hospital's $1.6 million annual ad budget. His Mercy career culminated with the launch of "Get Healthy, Pittsburgh!", a $3 million wellness education campaign featuring Mercy physicians, local celebrities (including the mayor and the coach of a popular local NFL team) and an infectious, upbeat theme song that he wrote and recorded.

In 1997, Sarasota Memorial Healthcare System recruited Rich to manage the brand development for its 50-physician medical practice, First Physicians Group. The hospital realized an unexpected side benefit when he brought his media skills to bear, resulting in more than $650,000 in savings and refunds in his first year. Despite his success in healthcare, his desire to diversify his experience would eventually bring him to join Sarasota's largest advertising agency, where he managed advertising and public relations accounts and won several copywriting awards.

In the five years prior to the launch of Odato Marketing Group, he worked with a diverse base of clients ranging from the west Florida market group of American Express Financial Advisors to the national advertising for the NY-based American Craft Council.

He managed accounts in several industries, including real estate and development (DeBartolo Property Group, Prudential Palms Realty), banking (American Bank, Gulf Coast National Bank, First National Bank of the Florida Keys), insurance (Florida Select, Chemplan), marine (Carolina Classic, King StarBoard) manufacturing (King Plastic Corp.), restaurant (First Watch national) and technology (Key Voice, Elcotel).

Rich's volunteer work currently includes serving as chairman of the Sarasota Chamber's Education and Workforce Development Committee and as business development director for the American Marketing Association, Tampa Bay Chapter.

When he's not working, you can find him fishing the flats and turning his catch into gyotaku prints and gourmet meals, making music with his full-time musician friends or spending time with Colleen, his wife. He is also a second-generation photographer, a skill that's becoming more and more useful as his agency begins its fourth year.