Rick Boyko

Rick is a founding member of Sparkstarters. An executive training program comprised of renowned entrepreneurs, advertising leaders, startup founders, marketers, designers and anthropologists. Their mission is to help companies become more competitive by liberating the creativiity that’s hidden within every organization.

For nine years Rick was Director and Professor at the VCU Brandcenter, considered to be the best graduate school for the Business of Marketing Communications. Under his leadership, the curriculum constantly changed, the school doubled in size, and in 2012 was named the “Most Innovative Business School in the World”.

Prior to the Brandcenter, Rick spent 30 years working on major brands at agencies including Leo Burnett, Chiat/Day, and Ogilvy & Mather. At Ogilvy, as Co-President, Chief Creative Officer of North America, he integrated Ogilvy’s North American offices leading the agency to be named Agency of the year by Advertising Age in 2000.

Throughout his career, Rick has been dedicated to improving the industry having served on the Boards of the 4A’s, Art Directors Club and One Club. Currently, he sits on the Board of Advertising Week, where he has led project inspire for the past eight years. He has served as the Dean of the Roger Hatchuel Academy in Cannes for the past six years. He has previously sat on the boards of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Napster and Butler Shine Stern & Partners.

While Rick has won many advertising awards, he is most proud of being awarded the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and for his contributions to the book “Brotherhood” named an FDNY Honorary Deputy Chief.

In honor of his many contributions to the industry, Rick was inducted into the American Advertising Federation’s Hall of fame in 2012.