Brian Butler

Brian Butler is President and CEO of Vistra Communications (Vistra), an integrated marketing communications agency providing marketing, communications and consulting services to corporate, government and nonprofit organizations. In 2019, Vistra was recognized as the Florida State Minority Supplier Development Council Class 3 MBE Supplier of the Year and a GrowFL 50 Florida Companies to Watch. Since founding Vistra in 2007, the company has grown to over 80 employees with offices in Tampa and Northern Virginia. Vistra's growing portfolio includes healthcare, information technology, transportation, airports, sports and entertainment, local and federal government and nonprofit clients. Fortune 500 clients include AT&T, ExxonMobil, Coca Cola, and others. 

Butler is a combat decorated, retired career military officer. Prior to founding Vistra, he provided strategic communications counsel to senior leaders at U.S. Central Command and served as a policy director on the Homeland Security Council in the White House. He also served as a spokesperson for an Army Secretary and on the communications team for a Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon.  

He was the 2018 Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Leader of the Year and a 2019 Florida 500 Most Influential Business Leaders as published in Florida Trend. He has also been recognized as the 2018 SBA State of Florida and South Florida District Minority-Owned Small Business Person of the Year. 

Butler holds a master's degrees from the National War College and Central Michigan University and a bachelor's degree from Hampton University. He holds certificates from The University of Oklahoma, John F. Kennedy University, Roger Williams University, and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He is also a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program.

An active and avid community supporter, Brian serves on the Boards of Directors of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, WEDU Public Broadcast Television, Sunshine State Economic Development Corporation, Minority Enterprise Development Corporation and Visit Tampa Bay.  Brian also serves on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Council; he is CEO Mentor to the Principal of Mort Elementary School and founded the CEOs in Schools initiative with Hillsborough County Public Schools.