Tampa International Airport (TPA) CEO Joe Lopano plans to step down before his contract expires in April 2025, allowing Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board of Directors, which oversees the airport, to begin the process of seeking a new CEO immediately.
The selection process, which is expected to take several months, will help inform the timing of Lopano’s last day, which has yet to be determined.
“I’m so proud of my team and all that we’ve accomplished over the last 13 years, which was much more than I set out to do when I started,” Lopano said. “While this has been my dream job, I’m now ready to pursue my next dream of spending more time with my wife, family, friends, and the many grandchildren who have come into my life recently.”
Under Lopano’s leadership, TPA implemented a successful incentive program that attracted new international routes such as Edelweiss Air to Zurich, Copa Airlines to Panama City, Lufthansa to Frankfurt and Virgin Atlantic to London Heathrow.
TPA also completed several major expansion projects, including a new Rental Car Center and SkyConnect train system, the Blue Express Curbsides and a concessions redevelopment program that brought several local brands to TPA’s shops and restaurants. TPA is currently constructing the Red Express Curbsides and will break ground this year on a fifth new terminal, Airside D, set to open in 2028.
“Without question, Joe has built an incredible culture and legacy here,” said Chip Diehl, HCAA board chair brigadier general “While his departure leaves huge shoes to fill, he has set us up for enormous success in every way possible, and we’re incredibly thankful for his contributions to TPA, to the state of Florida and to the aviation industry.”
