It’s no secret that Tampa International Airport is a world-class facility and one of the true gems of this Tampa Bay region. It’s conveniently located and was obviously built with passengers as a foremost priority. It ranks near the top in any recruiting PowerPoint presentation. What a way to welcome visitors–and returning residents.
It was only appropriate, then, that TIA, in the midst of a billion-dollar expansion and renovation, has added another, albeit much less obvious, upgrade. Its governing board just got better.
Sam Rashid, a problematic political appointee, had embarrassed the board–and possibly himself–with those notoriously slutty comments about a prominent PR consultant. His successor is retired Brig. Gen. Arthur “Chip” Diehl, the former wing and base commander at MacDill AFB.
Diehl knows aviation, and he knows Tampa and the world beyond. He also understands TIA’s role as a regional economic engine and a major American gateway. Chip Diehl is a natural resource for this area, and TIA lucked out in his gubernatorial appointment. Rick Scott owed us–and he came through on this one.