Lester Sola

Lester Sola is a former Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Miami-Dade Aviation Department who retired in 2022.2 During his tenure, he oversaw operations at Miami International Airport (MIA) and four general aviation airports in Miami-Dade County.1

Career Highlights

Sola had a long and distinguished career in public service, spanning over 26 years with Miami-Dade County.1 His key positions included:

• Director and CEO of the Miami-Dade Aviation Department (2018-2022)12
• Director of the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (2015-2017)1
• Supervisor of Elections1
• Director of the Internal Services Department1

Achievements

As the Director of the Miami-Dade Aviation Department, Sola was responsible for:

• Overseeing operations at MIA, which handles over 44 million passengers and 2 million tons of cargo annually1
• Managing airports that collectively generate $33.7 billion in business revenue and support more than 280,000 jobs1
• Leading an unprecedented $7 billion capital improvement program and $1.7 billion in maintenance upgrades at MIA1

Education

Sola holds both a master's degree and a bachelor's degree in public administration from Florida International University, with a minor in organizational psychology.1

Legacy

During his career, Sola made significant contributions to Miami-Dade County, including:

• Reorganizing several County departments
• Coordinating and refocusing the capital program at Miami International Airport
• Establishing small and minority-based programs for procurement
• Implementing centralized systems for tracking capital expansion programs and professional services1

Lester Sola's extensive experience in county operations, capital design, construction management, and contract administration made him a valuable asset to the Miami-Dade Aviation Department and the residents of Miami-Dade County.1