Get to know the Gary behind 1-800-Ask-Gary

Dr. Gary Kompothecras' first name sits on one of the largest outdoor concert venues in Tampa, but to many, the man behind the logo, and dozens of billboards, is a mystery.

The Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County, a nonprofit focused on school readiness for young children, now aims to solve the whodunit at an unusual fundraising dinner. The event, a roast of Kompothecras, is entitled “Just who is 1-800-Ask-Gary? The Early Learning Collation wants to know.”

The list of speakers scheduled to roast Kompothecras is eclectic. It includes former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist; Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight; prominent Sarasota developers Henry Rodriguez and Tim Vining; and local radio personality Bubba the Love Sponge.