Airport names new board chairman

SARASOTA-BRADENTON — Retired FCCI Insurance Group executive John Stafford has been named chairman of the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority for 2017.

Stafford, who has been vice chairman overseeing the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport this year, was unanimously elected by the airport's board during its regular meeting Nov. 22.

Stafford was named to the airport board in October 2013. He recently retired as chairman of FCCI, a workers compensation insurance company based in Lakewood Ranch. “I'm very pleased to have been elected chairman of the Airport Authority and look forward to achieving another year of continued success,” Stafford says.

West Coast Tomato president Bob Spencer was elected vice chairman of the authority board and Medallion Home CEO Carlos Beruff — who has twice been chair of the airport's board — was named secretary for 2017.