Podsiad appointed new executive vice president and chief financial officer
The members of the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority (SMAA) have voted unanimously to name Paul Hoback Jr. the incoming president and CEO of Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ), they announced this week.
Additionally, Kevin Podsiad, a CPA, has been named the new executive vice president and chief financial officer (CFO), the airport has reported.
Hoback is the executive vice president and chief development officer for the Allegheny County Airport Authority (ACAA), which operates Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT), a news release points out. He
“has served in various leadership roles in aviation for 25 years,” the release adds.
Hoback tentatively is scheduled to begin working at SRQ on Oct. 19, the release says.
In the latter part of November 2024, Frederick “Rick” Piccolo, who is in his 30th year as president and CEO of the airport, announced that he would retire on June 30 of this year, as The Sarasota News Leader has reported. At that time, SRQ staff reported that a national search for Piccolo’s replacement would be pursued.
Subsequently, as noted in the release about Hoback, Piccolo agreed to delay his retirement to Nov. 30, “ to ensure a smooth transition. He will continue in an advisory role to the Airport Authority until June 30, 2026,” the release adds.
“Leading Sarasota Bradenton International Airport is an incredible opportunity, and I’m so excited to follow Rick’s amazing tenure and continue the legacy he has built over three decades,” Hoback said in the release. “I am truly honored to have been selected, and I look forward to serving the region as we continue to grow SRQ together,” he added.
In his role with the ACAA, Hoback “provides leadership, oversight and strategic direction for all capital development projects, as well as operations and maintenance,” the release explains. “Most recently, he has guided PIT’s $1.7 billion new terminal program,” which “created $2.5 billion in economic impact for Western Pennsylvania,” the release continues.
“On a day-to-day basis,” the release points out, Hoback “oversees several departments within ACAA,” where he has led a number of regional initiatives, “including the Neighborhood 91 additive manufacturing campus, a world-leading airport microgrid, and expansion of airport cargo facilities.”
A December 2023 report on the website of the Ambridge Area School District — which says that Hoback is a 1993 graduate — explained that the microgrid, which is “fueled by natural gas and solar energy,” supplies 100% of the power for Pittsburgh International Airport, allowing the facilities to be “completely off the electric grid.”
Further, that report noted, “Under Paul’s leadership, the Airport Authority’s Snow Removal Team won the prestigious Balchen-Post Award for excellence by North American Airports in the performance of snow and ice control, as well as numerous other awards.”
Additionally, it said, “In 2022, [Hoback] was a recipient of the Pittsburgh Business Times C-Suite Award. He has previously been honored as the Young Engineer of the Year for the state of Pennsylvania by the Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers.”
Hoback serves on several community and charitable boards in Pittsburgh, as well as aviation and construction industry committees, the SRQ news release notes. He also “brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the SRQ position,” it says.
Hoback earned a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering and an MBA from Geneva College in Pennsylvania, the release continues.
In the release, Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority Chair Jesse Biter of Sarasota noted the that the board, “with the assistance of the professional search firm Korn Ferry, did an extensive search and review of potential candidates …” Biter added, “We are very pleased that [Hoback] has accepted the challenge …”
The board members, Biter continued, “are extremely grateful to Rick Piccolo for his three decades of service to the airport, the community and industry, and his impact on SRQ cannot be overemphasized. We wish him a long and enjoyable retirement.”
In regard to Podsiad’s appointment as executive vice president and CFO, a separate news release says that he brings to SRQ “over a decade of experience in aviation finance and a strong record of strategic financial leadership.”
Previously, the release notes, Podsiad served for 10 years at Tampa International Airport, most recently as director of financial planning and reporting. “In this capacity,” the release explains, “he was responsible for overseeing key financial functions, including financial reporting, debt service management, investment strategy, payroll, and financial planning.”
Along with being a CPA, the release continues, Podsiad “holds the Certified Member (CM) designation from the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE). He earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of South Florida and a Master of Accounting from Saint Leo University,” it adds.
“His leadership will be instrumental in guiding the airport’s financial planning, supporting continued growth, and ensuring long-term fiscal sustainability,” the release says.