Rob is a Tampa Native and grew up in North Tampa. In fact, Rob’s family goes back three generations to the Tampa Bay area. Rob played little league in the area and went on to be a four-year varsity letterman at Jesuit High School in Tampa. After graduating from Jesuit in 1989, Rob went on the University of Florida. While at Florida, Rob joined Kappa Alpha Fraternity; and was a member of the Florida Blue Key. In addition, Rob walked on to the University of Florida baseball team and lettered four years as a pitcher. During his career, Rob was fortunate enough to pitch in the College World Series and earn First Team All SEC and Third Team All-American honors. In his final season on the baseball team, Rob broke the school’s all-time strikeout record, as well as the single season record for strikeouts. In 1999, Rob was listed as one of the top 100 athletes to play sports at the University of Florida during the past 100 years.
Rob graduated from the University of Florida in 1995 with a degree in Sports Administration. Rob spent the next four year playing professional baseball in the then California Angels’ organization. During his professional career, Rob played in Boise, Idaho; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Lake Elsinore California; Midland, Texas; and Vancouver, British Columbia. Rob even played one winter in Hawaii, where he played for the Hilo Stars. While in triple A, Rob injured his shoulder and was forced to give up baseball in the summer of 1998. He then enrolled at Stetson University College of Law and received his degree in May of 2001.
During law school, Rob clerked at Bavol, Bush & Sisco, P.A., where his primary responsibility was handling insurance defense issues focused on medical malpractice. Rob also clerked that summer at Bush, Ross, P.A., in Tampa where he assisted multiple attorneys with commercial litigation matters. Upon graduation from Stetson, Rob began his legal career at the then Gray, Harris, Robinson, Shackleford, Farrior, P.A (now GrayRobinson, P.A.). While at GrayRobinson, Rob worked in the insurance defense department. His primary duties were to defend insured drivers and owners of vehicles sued in automobile accidents. He also represented insurance companies that were sued for uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. During his time at GrayRobinson, Rob handled hundreds of automobile accident files, some with traumatic and catastrophic injuries. He handled the files from the onset through trial, thus taking hundreds of depositions and handling numerous mediations. Rob also tried multiple cases to verdict.
Rob left GrayRobinson in 2008 and began working at Prugh and Associates, where he began representing individuals injured in all types of accidents. Rob spent one year at Prugh and Associates and left to form his own firm. Rob founded The Bonanno Firm, PA in 2009. At The Bonanno Firm, he continued his representation of individuals involved in automobile accidents and slip and falls. In 2011, Rob merged The Bonanno Firm with Stamatakis + Thalji, thus forming Stamatakis + Thalji + Bonanno. At Stamatakis + Thalji + Bonanno, Rob will continue to represent individuals involved in all type of accidents, including: Automobile Accidents, Slip and Falls, Dog Bites, Trucking Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Boating Accidents, Wrongful Death Cases, and any other types of Personal Injury.
Rob resides in the Tampa area with his wife Melanie and three children, AJ, Amelia and Robby.
