FORT MYERS, Fla. (Jan. 25, 2021) – The Lee County Board of Port Commissioners named Benjamin R. Siegel, CPA, C.M., as the executive director of the Lee County Port Authority on Jan. 21, 2021. As executive director, he will direct the administration, operations and development of Southwest Florida International Airport and Page Field in Fort Myers, Fla.
“I look forward to working with the board and the outstanding team of professionals at Southwest Florida International Airport and Page Field,” said Ben Siegel, CPA, C.M., executive director of the Lee County Port Authority. “I am excited about the opportunity to enhance infrastructure, manage growth and improve the guest experience, as well as work with our community leaders to promote travel, new business and tourism in our region.”
Siegel has been with the Lee County Port Authority since 1992 and most recently served as the acting executive director. Under his leadership, the Lee County Port Authority finance team secured $327 million for RSW’s Midfield Terminal Complex, which was one of the largest issuances of financing in Lee County history. Current projects under his oversight are the Airport Traffic Control Tower and the Terminal Expansion Project at Southwest Florida International Airport.
Siegel holds a Bachelor of Science in business administration from the University of South Florida and is a Certified Public Accountant. He is a Certified Member of the American Association of Airport Executives, as well as a member of the Florida Airports Council, Airports Council International-North America, Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Siegel is an executive committee member of the Horizon Council, a local public-private advisory board for economic development issues. He is also on the executive leadership team for the American Heart Association-Lee Heart Walk, was past chair of the 2018 Lee Heart Walk, and is a member of the executive committee for Healthy Lee, an organization that promotes corporate wellness and healthier lifestyles in Lee County.
Southwest Florida International Airport served more than 5.9 million passengers in 2020 and is one of the top 50 U.S. airports for passenger traffic. Page Field provides services to corporate, commercial and private aviators and accommodated more than 126,000 aircraft operations in 2020. No ad valorem (property) taxes are used for airport operation or construction and both airports are funded solely with revenue generated from their operations. For more information, please visit www.flylcpa.com.
