PHOTO: Mary Beth Tyson (O’Rourke, Pedicini, Pittman)
Meredith O’ROURKE {PLAYER}
For the past two decades in Florida, political fundraising has become synonymous with the name Meredith O’Rourke. As my older “firstborn” sister I’ve always looked up to Meredith over those years — both literally and figuratively — as she has steadfastly built and maintained the top political fundraising consultancy in Florida. When her name pops up on donors’ cellphones, they know it’s going to be a short but focused call and the checkbook needs to be within arm’s length; but they instinctively answer the call because she has developed close, long-term personal relationships with Florida’s leading political donors. She is their trusted source for insight on candidates and exactly where to maximize the impact of their financial commitments. Most importantly, she keeps the politics out of politics. She doesn’t let the proximity to power change who she is and continues to be inspired by the positive impact her clients have on the future of Florida. She has traversed the state a thousand times over from event to event, raising dollars from each corner of Florida yet still made sure that once the event is successfully completed she’s back home for the morning school drop off. With a husband deployed to Iraq for a year and a newborn at home, she worked on all four cabinet races in 2010 and later raised a record $100 million for Gov. Scott’s re-election. That achievement complements a long list of fundraising successes too numerous to mention that reset the benchmarks and landscape of political giving in Florida. Shattering old and setting new fundraising targets have been her forte. And she continues that work as we speak today. Meredith, now leading the funding efforts for Commissioner Adam Putnam’s energetic campaign for governor, continues to be on the cutting edge of electing the future leaders of Florida. – Carrie O’Rourke, VP Public Policy, Florida Realtors
118 | INFLUENCE SUMMER 2018
Anthony PEDICINI {PLAYER}
Anthony Pedicini is probably responsible for more members serving in the Florida House than any other political consultant in the state. He can be a prick and a mean SOB, but he gets the job done. Anthony also has a heart of gold when it comes to his family and he is loyal to his friends. There are few others that I would rather have in a foxhole next to me than Anthony Pedicini. – Chris Latvala, Clearwater Republican State Representative