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Sanford Airport Searches For New Leader

Orlando Sanford International Airport
Orlando Sanford International Airport

The search for the next Orlando Sanford International Airport President has begun. The airport’s board launched a search committee this week.

The five person search committee includes Sanford City Manager Norton Bonaparte and former Greater Orlando Aviation Authority board member Bob Hattaway.

The Sanford Airport Authority wants to find a new President and CEO before Larry Dale steps down at the end of September.

“Our duty, our obligation to citizens of central Florida and citizens of Sanford is to get the very best person to take the reins of the airport and lead us forward. We’re excited about the next 10 years just as we’re excited about the previous 14,” said Airport Authority Chairman Frank Ioppola Junior

Under Dale’s 14 year tenure, the airport doubled the amount of passengers to 2.2 million annually. Ioppola Junior says the board expects the same out of the next President.

“The next ten or fourteen are going to be very different than the ones that got us here. I don’t think we’re in a caretaker mode, we’re still in a development and growth mode,” he said.

Ioppolo said he will ask the committee for a recommendation in 4 months.

Brendan Byrne is WMFE's Assistant News Director, managing the day-to-day operations of the WMFE newsroom, editing daily news stories, and managing WMFE's internship program.

Byrne also hosts WMFE's weekly radio show and podcast "Are We There Yet?" which explores human space exploration.