General counsel and executive vice president Michael Stephens will oversee Tampa International Airport next year, positioning the airport for a new chapter of leadership during a time of breakneck growth for the transportation hub and Tampa Bay. He will ...

Michael Stephens, the longtime legal counsel at Tampa International Airport, has been chosen as the organization’s new CEO and will take over for the retiring Joe Lopano.

On Tuesday, the final two candidates presented their vision for the future of the airport to the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority board of directors.

Current CEO, Joe Lopano, announced earlier this year he would be retiring by the end of his contract in April 2025.

Tampa International Airport received federal funding for its new “state-of-the-art” terminal. Airside D, a $1.5 million project, is set to open in 2028.

Tampa International Airport will receive $40 million in funding for its upcoming 16-gate Airside D project. The Federal Aviation Administration is awarding the funds as part of the Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Congress passed in 2021. The law aims to update the transportation network throughout the U.S.

The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board has selected Michael Stephens as the next CEO of Tampa International Airport (TPA). Stephens, currently serving as TPA's Executive Vice President and General Counsel,