Pinellas County has handed the top job at St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport to a familiar face: Mark Sprague. The aviation veteran, who had been serving as PIE’s deputy director and interim director, steps in just as the airport pushes ahead with a multi-phase terminal expansion and a major parking garage project. The appointment was announced today.
In a statement to WTSP, Pinellas County Administrator Barry Burton praised Sprague’s mix of aviation, management and community experience, saying, "Mark melds diverse work experience in the pilot seat, the boardroom and the community to keep our airport operations safe, efficient and productive." The station reported that Sprague - a roughly 25-year veteran of aviation - had already been overseeing daily operations, emergency management and planning for the airport’s new terminal and parking structure.
From cockpit to control tower
Sprague is a former airline transport pilot who flew for Comair and Spirit Airlines before shifting into airport management with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, taking on duties at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Dulles, according to Blueprint. He earned his aviation credentials at Wilmington University and relocated to Florida in 2015 to join the PIE staff, where colleagues say he has blended hands-on piloting know-how with facilities and operations oversight, per Wilmington University.
Big projects on his desk
Sprague takes over as PIE advances a roughly $110 million terminal transformation and a $60 million plan for a 2,000-space parking garage that county officials approved late last year. WUSF has detailed the terminal plans, while St. Pete Catalyst has tracked the parking contract, timeline and budget. The airport’s own directory lists Sprague as deputy and interim director and credits him with day-to-day oversight of operations and emergency management during the build-out, according to Fly2PIE.
What’s next
As director, Sprague will be responsible for steering those big-ticket projects through permitting, construction and airline coordination while balancing rising passenger counts and service growth. He had been serving in the interim role after longtime director Tom Jewsbury announced his retirement last August, and county materials note that promoting Sprague provides leadership continuity as PIE scales up, per Pinellas County. Airport officials say Sprague assumes operational leadership immediately and is expected to brief commissioners and partners in the weeks ahead.
