Title: President
Company: Nassau Council of Arts and Culture Inc.
Location: Fernandina, Florida, United States
Richard A. Restiano Sr., President at Nassau Council of Arts and Culture Inc., has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Executives for dedication, achievements, and leadership in the Nonprofit Arts and Culture Sector.
Mr. Restiano’s remarkable career spans more than five decades, marked by leadership in the arts, business and community service. Since 2024, he has served as the president and chief executive officer of Nassau Council of Arts and Culture Inc., an organization he founded to foster opportunities and experiences for residents, businesses and cultural tourism throughout Nassau County in northern Florida. Under Mr. Restiano’s guidance, the council has become a central force in uniting artists and promoting cultural initiatives across the region.
Before launching his nonprofit organization, Mr. Restiano chaired Arts and Culture Nassau from 2022 to 2023, where he worked closely with representatives from various artistic disciplines to support local businesses on Amelia Island in western Florida. Mr. Restiano’s vision notably led to the establishment of a new independent arts council after the original board voted to dissolve and detach from county oversight.
From 2018 to 2021, Mr. Restiano was the president of Kraft Tennis Partners on Amelia Island, where he combined his passion for tennis with organizational leadership. He also held the position of director of operations and strategic alliances at Affinitas Life (now Agewell Solvere Living) in New York City between 2017 and 2018, focusing on senior living solutions.
Between 2012 and 2016, Mr. Restiano served as the general manager for Holiday Retirement Corporation (now Holiday by Atria) in Chattanooga, Tennessee. His entrepreneurial spirit was evident in his tenure as a partner at Arista Camera & Imaging from 2010 to 2011. Earlier, Mr. Restiano excelled in his leading roles as the vice president and chief marketing officer at Olan Mills Inc. (now Shutterfly Lifetouch LLC) for two years, beginning in 2008, after initially serving as the vice president of advertising and commerce between 1994 and 2003.
Among other professional opportunities, Mr. Restiano became recognized for his early contributions to HR Imaging Partners Inc. in Chicago as the vice president of marketing and imaging services from 2003 to 2008. His early career was rooted in photography, as the former owner of Park Place Studio for 10 years, starting in 1983, and as the founder of New York Photographic after working as a photographer for the company that produced his college yearbook. Over a decade, New York Photographic partnered with more than 200 schools before expanding into wedding photography, a business now managed by his son in New York. After selling his school accounts to Olan Mills Inc. and becoming their marketing director, Mr. Restiano relocated to Tennessee.
Mr. Restiano’s academic background included earning a Bachelor of Science in education with a concentration in theater from Fordham University in New York City, earned in 1970. During his time at Fordham, he served as a yearbook editor, sparking his lifelong interest in photography, and was recognized with the Male Leadership Award upon graduation. Mr. Restiano also garnered a teacher’s license from the New York City Department of Education, briefly working in education upon graduation before pivoting.
Throughout his career, Mr. Restiano has been actively involved in industry organizations. He is a past president of the Professional Photographers’ Society of New York State and has contributed significantly to advancing professional standards within the field. Civically, Mr. Restiano has been active on the board of the American Cancer Society since 1992 and as the vice president and secretary of Island Village Owners Association on Amelia Island since 2020. He also established the West Nassau Arts Alliance, an organization comprising more than 40 independent artists.
Mr. Restiano’s achievements have been recognized with several awards, including Best Senior Living: Caring Stars by Caring LLC in 2016. He attributes his enduring success to exceptional health, curiosity and a positive outlook that have kept him engaged throughout his life.
Enthusiastic about the future, Mr. Restiano intends to organize a countywide arts fair with the West Nassau Arts Alliance to unite artists from Amelia Island with those on the west side of Nassau County. His goal is to help these artists gain recognition among residents while ensuring they understand the value of their work and identity within the broader community. Moreover, Mr. Restiano plans to continue making an impact through Nassau Council of Arts and Culture Inc., which was officially designated as a local arts agency, with quasi-governmental authority and funding through Florida’s art license plate program. He views this responsibility as an opportunity to expand access to music, art, dance, painting and theater for all residents while fostering organizational independence for future generations.
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Nassau Council of Arts and Culture Inc.
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