It's the end of an era at Tampa International Airport.
The airport's CEO, Joe Lopano, retires on Saturday after 14 years — marking another big change for TPA.
Lopano oversaw many of the other major changes at the airport over the past decade and a half, from more international flights to even a new airside set to open in 2028.
But as he described it in a thank you message to the community, he stepped into this role as a newbie. He had never served as a CEO before, and he wasn't even from the region.
Instead, he arrived with wonder, excitement and a whole bit of trepidation that comes with a new gig. He was armed with lots of questions on how to make TPA even better and attract more airlines and international routes.
But as Lopano told WUSF's Sky Lebron earlier this year, he also made sure to study one of the airport's earliest leaders, George Bean, before he took over in 2011.
"I told my guys when we started the Master Plan process. I said, 'Look, we gotta do better than George Bean. We're standing on the shoulders of great men who had courage and vision," Lopano said. "Don't let that down. I want you to do better.' And I held that standard to my team."
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Lopano said in a letter that it was teamwork that got the job done and all it took was believing to make it happen. He said they wasted no time getting to work by joining forces with tourism and economic development partners, meeting with new airlines, demolishing outdated restrooms and even ripping up carpet.
They sketched out a three-phase master plan with a variety of projects, including a main terminal expansion, a dining and shopping overhaul, a SkyConnect train, a new rental car center, red and blue express curbsides, a new office building and the future Airside D for 2028.
Lopano also helped establish international routes at the airport, like Havana, Amsterdam, Vancouver and more.
"Quite literally, we have put Tampa on maps where it hadn't been before," Lopano wrote. "That has led to more economic prosperity for our beautiful region and state, which has always been our Airport's purpose."
The CEO said he is humbled by everyone who has honored his accomplishments during his TPA tenure but that the pride and accomplishment do not belong solely to him — it belongs to all who have helped support and elevate the Tampa airport experience.
And as Lopano retires and new CEO Michael Stephens takes up the helm, there's one phrase he wants to leave with his team and the Tampa Bay community: "We did it."
