BRIAN BUTLER

PRESIDENT & CEO, VISTRA COMMUNICATIONS, TAMPA

A veteran of U.S. Army communication services, Butler started his career while serving as a spokesman and chief of communications for a U.S. Army secretary and the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff. He also was a communication specialist and provided counsel to top officers at U.S. Central Command in Tampa. He served the U.S. Homeland Security Council in a director-level position for the White House. Following his military service, he was engaged in communications and marketing projects for Fleishman-Hilliard International Communications in Washington, D.C.

He founded Vistra Communications in 2007. The multi-media marketing firm now has 75 employees. Vistra specializes in marketing, public relations, media, communication and consulting services for health care, government and military contractors.

Butler was named “outstanding leader” in 2018 by the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce in the group’s Small Business of the Year awards. He remains committed to military veteran causes. Vistra was named the Small Business Administration’s veteran-owned Small Business of the Year in 2016 in the South Florida District.

Butler has master’s degrees from the National War College and Central Michigan University. He has a bachelor’s in marketing from Hampton University.