Dallas airport executive chosen to run Tampa airport

Hillsborough County leaders chose a top executive at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport to lead Tampa International Airport's efforts to recruit new flights and maintain high customer service.

Joe Lopano, 55, the executive vice president for marketing and terminal operations at the Texas airport, will become only
the third director at Tampa International
since 1964.

The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority board on Wednesday selected Lopano over former Detroit airport director Lester Robinson to succeed Louis Miller.

Miller resigned in February after 14 years in Tampa, following George Bean's 30-year tenure as director. Both contributed to the airport's reputation as a well run community icon that is the crown jewel of the region's economic development efforts.

Without discussion, the board voted 4-1, with Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio voting for Robinson, who, she said, handled politics in a difficult Detroit environment along with transforming the airport into a prize-winning operation.

Iorio said before the vote both candidates were excellent. After the vote, she said she wanted to make it unanimous to show the board's full support for Lopano.

"I am very excited," Lopano said in an e-mail to the Tribune Wednesday evening. Once he and the board work out the terms of employment, he said, he will work "with the board and staff to begin to establish our goals and objectives and priorities."

Negotiations could result in Lopano, who is making $250,000 in Dallas along with an annual bonus and a car, taking a pay cut in Tampa to something less than the $253,000 that Miller made after 14 years, board members said.

The board is expected to complete negotiations by Oct. 7.

Board chairman Al Austin followed the vote with a call to the finalists. Austin told Robinson the decision would not be final until Lopano and the board agreed on contract terms.

Aviation authority board member Joe Diaco said that during his interview with Lopano two weeks ago, "There was no hesitation on Lopano's part, no lack of confidence to take the next step...toward meeting competition."

Diaco said Lopano covered issues "from A to Z." He said Lopano emphasized the airport must follow Federal Aviation Administration guidelines on what incentives the airport can provide compared with incentives that the business community and governments can add to recruit new air service.

Iorio said she expected Lopano to an effective communicator and accessible to the news media and the general public. "He needs to be totally transparent," the mayor said.

Board member and Hillsborough County commissioner Ken Hagan was impressed with Lopano's air service development performance at Dallas along with his experience in air terminal leasing issues.

Since Lopano joined the Dallas airport in 1997, he guided the recruitment of new passenger service from 10 airlines, expanded international cargo airline business to generate $20 million in annual revenue and helped float a $1.2 billion airport bond financing package soon after the 9/11 attacks when the airline economy tanked.

Lopano's background in marketing and experience as an airline insider who has worked for Lufthansa, British West Indies, Pan American and Continental Airlines is seen as a plus for an airport facing changing competitive and financial dynamics and new political influences.

He has a bachelors of business education degree in finance from Pace University in New York.

Recommendations painted a portrait of a self-confidant, outgoing manager who wants people to support positions with facts and numbers.

"Recently Joe has evolved to allow his people to do their work and to step in with quality assurance when warranted," said Jeff Fegan, executive director of the Dallas Fort Worth airport. "In the past he would be more into details with them."

John Kirby, AirTran Airways' senior director of strategic planning and scheduling who has known Lopano for 10 years, said in recent e-mails to the Hillsborough aviation authority board members that is well respected around the industry and is known for his "get it done" approach.

"If you are looking for someone to raise the airport's profile both nationally and in the international arena, I can think of no finer choice," Kirby wrote.

"...If you are just looking for someone to just run an operationally efficient airport, then Joe could do the job but it wouldn't be the best use of his talent. However, if you are looking for someone to build the Tampa market, and make it more attractive to both domestic and international growth then Joe is your man."

Lopano has not directed an airport, but his understanding of how to run and optimize a very large and complex airport such as Dallas Fort Worth indicate there is nothing to stop him from functioning well in a mid-sized airport as Tampa, AirTran senior vice president of marketing and planning Kevin Healy said.

"Other than him being a fan of New York sports teams, I don't see anything wrong with Joe," Healy said in an e-mail to Tampa International's executive search consultant firm, Spencer Stuart.

Lopano and his wife Janet, a special education teacher, are empty-nesters.