President and Senior Marketing Strategist
Gina R. Smith specializes in helping small businesses and agencies become more profitable through strategic planning, marketing, media relations and resource development. Smith graduated from the University of Central Florida in 1995 with a B.A. in Motion Picture Technology, a B.A. in Journalism (specializing in Advertising and Public Relations) and a minor in sociology. She currently consults with clients across the Southeast United States, partnering with a network of practitioners to offer the same level of services as a large agency without the sizable overhead costs.
Smith spent several years writing, directing and producing local commercials and PSA’s. She spent over four years managing large-scale events for the Mid-Florida Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Within one year, Smith turned the events she managed, including the chapter’s “failing” events, into record breaking successes. Smith ultimately implemented promotional & marketing programs which increased overall participation and revenue by over 61%.
Smith also developed local and statewide marketing strategies for the Florida Manufacturing Technology Center (FMTC). She fostered relationships with Orlando area media to increase corporate exposure by 75% which positioned FMTC as a high profile resource for public information.
Currently, Smith serves as President of Casto Communications, a consulting firm which focuses on helping emerging small business enterprises and non-profit agencies. Smith develops cost-effective strategic plans and implements marketing/public relations strategies to develop leveraged exposure for businesses. Smith understands the financial challenges of small business. With this in mind, Smith offers her clients personalized services on a sliding scale fee structure, thereby perpetuating her philosophy that helping small businesses succeed ultimately creates a positive economic impact within local and regional communities.
Director of Website Development and Search Marketing
Sandy Meier’s extensive Internet marketing experience includes conceptualizing, creating and implementing a variety of electronic communications tools for a multitude of companies.
Meier has earned a reputation in the website development and search engine optimization (SEO) industry as being reputable, honest and fair. During her 13 years as an Internet marketing consultant and website developer, she has acquired certification as a Google Adwords Certified Partner. She is also registered as a Facebook Developer and Google Play Developer.
Meier has designed and developed websites for a number of respected enterprises and organizations, including two chamber’s of commerce, an online golf magazine, medical imaging centers, non-profit organizations, mortgage companies, law firms and real estate companies. She is also well versed in HTML using inline styles to create emails with maximum cross-client compatibility. Every effort is taken to ensure consistent results with a full range of devices, browsers and platforms. Meier is experienced at implementing statistical tracking code and interpreting analytics data.
Meier has worked with Casto Communications since 2006, providing website development, SEO and Internet marketing services and support.
Senior Marketing Strategist
Christa Santos is a seasoned marketing communications professional with more than 20 years experience. She has collaborated with Gina Smith on projects over the past two decades and has worked with Casto Communications since its inception in 2006. Santos is focused on providing project management in the areas of public relations, strategic marketing and business development with various organizations, universities, non-profit organizations and local area emerging growth businesses.
For more than seven years, Santos directed the external communications and marketing activities for the Central Florida Innovation Corporation (CFIC), a non-profit organization dedicated to creating high tech, high paying jobs in Central Florida. She managed the organization’s annual venture capital conference, Innovation Florida, providing a forum for early-stage technology companies to interact with institutional and private investors, which also served as one of the Central Florida region’s first angel investment events. Santos developed and fostered community partnerships and strategic business development alliances to accomplish the organization’s objectives. She also directed all media relations activities and the membership program formerly known as the Emerging Business Network (EBN); its quarterly (Tech After Dark tours) and monthly programming (Venture Forums) networking dinner events.
Santos is currently involved in several community organizations, boards of directors and serves as a mentor to students in the Communications intern program at the University of Central Florida.
Creative Specialist
Kevin C. Smith began his graphic design career producing technical visuals for complex training manuals while serving in the United States Navy. As his passion for design evolved, he became captivated with developing printed material using a more creative and imaginative (as opposed to technical) approach. He soon began pursuing freelance work and expanding his design portfolio to include custom logos, brochures, banners and marketing collateral representing diverse industries and clients, including high-end automotive, colleges and universities, 3D/4D Ultrasound imaging centers and custom watercraft – just to name a few!
Smith expanded upon his wealth of design knowledge and perfected his own unique technique by earning his B.F.A in Graphic Design from The Art Institute of Tampa (a branch of the prestigious Miami International University of Art & Design), named one of the country’s Top 50 graphic design schools by GD USA.
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