Architect, artist, entrepreneur and foodie, Mark V. Martino’s talents extend well beyond his architectural career with Gary Guy Wilson Architects.
Martino is licensed in Nevada and Colorado and is NCARB-certified. He is senior architect of one of Las Vegas’ oldest architectural firms and a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). He is proud to be responsible for the ever-changing architectural landscape of Las Vegas, from multi-million dollar commercial projects to local schools and condominiums. Noteworthy projects include the Sands Expo and Convention Center, the Agassi College Preparatory Academy, the Mesquite Heritage Museum, Molasky Family Park, Clark County Fire Stations and the Lynn Bennett Early Childhood Center at UNLV.
Martino earned both his Bachelors and Masters at Montana State University.
In 1999, Martino’s desire to enhance the culinary and cultural aspects of Las Vegas motivated him to produce The Odyssey Lifestyle with his co-founder and wife, Virginia Martino. Their goal is to bring together the area’s top chefs and artists with a selection of the nation’s foremost vintners for an annual four-day celebration of food, wine and art. Today, this prestigious event draws attention and participants far beyond the Las Vegas Valley to experience the delights of haute cuisine in a magical setting.
In 2003, Martino initiated a charitable program in conjunction with the newly established Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Las Vegas. The program creates scholarships that allow deserving students to pursue their dreams of becoming professional chefs. The first recipients were announced in March 2004, with funds derived from autumn’s Odyssey Lifestyle put toward academic tuition. Students from Le Cordon Bleu are also given the opportunity to participate in corporate culinary events throughout the year, such as launch parties and art exhibits.
Martino has recently been inducted into the Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, an International Society of Gastronomes created by King Louis IX in 1248 as a Chevalier and Maître de Table Restaurateur. Martino also is a member of the Las Vegas Art Museum, the California Olive Oil Counsel and the American Wine Society. He is involved in, and has contributed to, many other charitable causes including The Audi Odyssey Masterpiece benefiting The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Le Cordon Bleu Culinary College Scholarship, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Society, Keep Memory Alive, The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and Helping Hands of Vegas Valley. He has traveled widely and his love of the vine has taken him from Napa Valley and California’s central coast to the vineyards of Italy.
