By Steve Huettel, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Tampa International Airport will likely have a new boss selected next week.
Members of the airport's board of directors moved up their decision on a replacement for former executive director Louis Miller to Sept. 29 after two of four finalists for the job withdrew from consideration Monday.
Out of the running are Kent George, 63, the director of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, and Kevin Dillon, 54, chief executive of T.F. Green Airport in Providence, R.I.
That leaves candidates Lester W. Robinson, 58, chief executive of Detroit Metropolitan Airport from 2002 until June and Joseph Lopano, 55, executive vice president of marketing at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio and fellow board member Steven Burton said they were satisfied with Robinson and Lopano and didn't see any reason to expand the field. All five board members interviewed the four finalists last week.
"There are two good people remaining,'' Iorio said. "They were very impressive to me.''
Iorio asked consultant Michael Bell of the executive search firm SpencerStuart to do some further checking, including general questions about their leadership and management styles. Iorio also wants to know why Robinson was not offered a new contract to stay in Detroit.
Steve Huettel can be reached at huettel@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3384.