Rob Wigington, the former CEO of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority, has filed a lawsuit after he was fired earlier this year.
Wigington was released from his position in October. He had apparently been on sick leave since July.
Reports indicated the Board of Commissioners decided to let Wigington go for many reasons, including his alleged failure to disclose the contents of negotiations, lack of financial control with reported excessive severance packages for some, and the repeated refusal to communicate with the board or follow board policy.
The move immediately ended Wigington’s tenure. He was hired in 2012 and earned a salary of $288,000 a year.
Wigington's attorney sent a letter to local media outlets in response to the firing, saying the MNAA violated the Family Medical Leave Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act, and Wigington’s contract.
The lawsuit alleged MNAA began treating Wigington “differently” after he told them he needed a brief period of medical leave. Wigington said he had “no indication from MNAA that he would not be allowed to return to his position.”
The suit also said Wigington received numerous awards and accolades recognizing the airport’s growth, innovation, and customer service during his five-year tenure.
Bobby Joslin, chair of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority Board of Commissioners released the following statement:
“This lawsuit was not unexpected. But I want to be clear: the Board of Commissioners has a fiduciary duty to do what is best for the Airport Authority and the city we serve. In this case, by a unanimous 10-0 vote, the board acted to make a change in the top management of the Airport Authority based on our deep dissatisfaction with the CEO’s performance and his failure to fulfill his job obligations to the standard required of his positon. This is a critical time for Nashville International Airport as we confront rapid passenger growth and undergo a major capital expansion project. It is absolutely imperative to this community that we have the right airport leadership in place as we go forward. I am confident the board’s actions were justified, necessary, and in the community’s best interests.”
