MIA names Lester Sola the new Aviation Director

1920_lestersolaheadshot-SMALLMiami-Dade Aviation Department (MDAD) has named Lester Sola as its new Director and Chief Executive Officer. Sola will oversee operations at Miami International Airport (MIA) and four general aviation (GA) airports throughout Miami-Dade County, which together generate $33.7 billion in business revenue and support more than 280,000 direct and indirect jobs. MIA itself handles more than 44 million passengers and more than two million tons of cargo annually, placing it among America’s busiest international passenger and cargo airports.

Sola replaces Emilio T. González Director, who stepped down at the end of last year after a four -year tenure that resulted in a rise in revenues and new airlines, as he strived to convert MIA from the Gateway to Latin America to a more global hub.

Sola has served Miami-Dade County for more than 26 years, most recently as Director of the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department, the largest utility in the southeastern United States. During Sola’s tenure at the department from 2015 to 2017, nearly 1,000 projects worth more than $1.1 billion were completed.

During his more than two decades of public service, Sola has been responsible for projects including the capital program at Miami International Airport; and agencies such as Aviation, Seaport, Beacon Council, Performing Arts Center and the American Airlines Arena.