After three decades of dedicated service to the city’s aviation hub, Vero Beach Regional Airport Director Todd Scher has officially stepped down, making way for incoming director Brandon Dambeck. Scher’s retirement marks the end of an era for the local sky port, which has seen unprecedented commercial passenger growth and sweeping infrastructure expansions during his five-year tenure at the helm.
For Scher, local aviation has been a lifelong passion. Growing up on 27th Avenue just blocks from the airport, his childhood home sat directly beneath the flight path of the north-south runway. His professional aviation career took flight in the late 1970s when he flew air freight between Vero Beach and Miami, frequently delivering parts to Piper Aircraft. He later piloted for U.S. Air Express and managed Sun Aviation—an operation now known as the Sun Jet Center, which is currently managed by his son, Joel Scher. Joining the Vero Beach Airport staff in 1996 as an operations supervisor, Scher witnessed the facility’s evolution firsthand, including the addition of a U.S. Customs facility that currently welcomes daily overseas flights.
“Of all the really, really cool things I’ve done, at least in my mind, working for my hometown airport where I had been hanging out since I was a kid has been the most rewarding experience,” Scher stated regarding his career in Vero Beach.
Under Scher’s leadership, the Vero Beach Regional Airport experienced a commercial renaissance. Following the suspension of flights by Elite Airways in July 2022, Breeze Airways quickly filled the void. Originally planning just a handful of weekly flights, Breeze Airways now operates 28 to 32 weekly flights during the peak season to major national destinations including Washington, D.C., Hartford, and Raleigh/Durham. This success catalyzed further corporate interest, bringing JetBlue and American Airlines to the Treasure Coast, with American recently announcing direct flights to Philadelphia starting in November. Even during the June off-season, the airport successfully processed over 29,000 travelers.
To accommodate this rapid influx of both air and ground traffic, the airport is undergoing significant infrastructure improvements. Recent and upcoming upgrades to the Vero Beach facility include:
- Expanded passenger holding spaces inside the main terminal to improve traveler comfort.
- Rerouted vehicle traffic for streamlined drop-off and pick-up zones.
- Shade canopies in the exterior baggage claim area, with a planned covered outdoor waiting area for checked-in passengers.
- A designated cellphone waiting area for drivers picking up arriving guests.
- New employee parking lots to help alleviate terminal congestion.
- A 500-vehicle long-term parking lot operated by Envision Parking Partners, slated for completion in early 2027.
- A newly approved car rental facility greenlit by the city’s Planning and Zoning Board.
Stepping into the director role is Brandon Dambeck, who brings a strong background in aviation management and safety. A graduate of the Florida Institute of Technology, Dambeck began his Vero Beach career as a management intern in 2017. He quickly climbed the ranks to become Operations Manager in 2019, where he was responsible for Federal Aviation Administration Code of Regulations Part 139 compliance and successfully spearheaded a massive $11 million runway renovation project in 2022.
“It’s a fast-changing environment,” Dambeck noted about the airport’s rapid evolution. “You have to remain flexible, expect the unexpected and be ready to respond as needed. People can now connect to anywhere in the world at an affordable rate.”
While Dambeck prepares to lead the Vero Beach Regional Airport into its next chapter of commercial expansion, Scher will not be leaving the tarmac entirely. The outgoing director plans to remain on staff one to two days a week to assist with airport security, ensuring a smooth transition for the community asset that has served as the backdrop for his entire life.
