 |
| Richard Gaspari | |
|---|---|
| professional bodybuilder | |
 | |
| Personal info | |
| Nickname | The Itch The Dragon Slayer Rich Gaspari |
| Born | 16 May 1963 New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States |
| Best statistics | |
| Professional (Pro) career | |
| Pro-debut |
|
| Best win |
|
| Active | 1985-1996 |
Richard Gaspari (born May 16, 1963) is an American retired professional bodybuilder, and a former member of the IFBB. He came in second place at the 1986, 1987, and 1988 Mr. Olympia competitions. [1]
Contents
Gaspari grew up in Edison, New Jersey; as a teenager he would sneak into Rutgers University weight room to take advantage of the exercise equipment. [2] He became a professional bodybuilder in 1984, entered the 1985 IFBB Night of Champions and placed 2nd, then placed 3rd for his first participation at Mr. Olympia that same year. Richard was a three-time runner-up at the Mr. Olympia contest (the most important in the professional circuit) during the long reign of Lee Haney at the top. He also won several secondary IFBB Grand Prix competitions during the same period. He was particularly praised for his hitherto-unseen level of conditioning and definition, being the first athlete to exhibit striations on the gluteal muscles. [3] [4]
Richard Gaspari was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame in 2004. In 2011, he was awarded with the Muscle Beach Hall of Fame Award. [5] He was featured on the cover of the October, 2011 issue of Iron Man, 23 years after he last appeared on the cover of the magazine. [6] In 2013 he was presented with the Arnold Classic Lifetime Achievement Award. [7]
In 1997, Gaspari founded Gaspari Nutrition, a bodybuilding supplement company. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2014 and, as part of a court-approved Section 363 sale, transferred substantially all of its assets to Allegro Nutrition on December 5, 2014. The sale allowed the company to continue operations as a going concern, preserving most employee positions and maintaining its brand presence. [8]
In 2016, Jared Wheat, owner of Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals, acquired co-ownership of Gaspari Nutrition and integrated its operations with Hi-Tech’s manufacturing and supply chain capabilities. [9]
In August 2018, Rich Gaspari regained full control by buying out Wheat’s stake and consolidating ownership under Gaspari Nutra LLC. Under this new structure, the company continued to distribute its legacy products and pursue expansion through innovation and investment. [10]
Gaspari resides in Toms River, New Jersey. [11]