by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
Andrew Eckert, a chief project manager with the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission, has resigned. According to the Mayor’s Office, Eckert, who primarily worked to develop and secure contracts at Cecil Commerce Center for the JEDC, has accepted a position with a private sector engineering firm.
His resignation takes effect Friday, August 5.
In a letter to Interim JEDC Director Jeanne Miller last week, Eckert, 51, wrote, “I have enjoyed working for the City; however, at this time in my career I would like to pursue other opportunities.”
Eckert declined to comment on which firm offered him a position.
“The past five years with the JEDC have been extremely rewarding and I hope my contributions towards the development of Cecil Commerce Center have met the City’s expectations,” he wrote.
Kristin Key, a press aide in Mayor John Peyton’s Office, said Eckert’s position with the JEDC would not be filled due in large part to Peyton’s recently imposed City-wide hiring freeze.
Key said Eckert has “one contract left to finalize” before he leaves. Future Cecil assignments will be divided among the remaining JEDC staff, she said.
“We absolutely appreciate his years of service,” Key said. “He is an outstanding team member and has served the City well.”
In May 2004, Peyton made public his intentions to scale back the JEDC from 40 positions to 32, in an effort to cut costs and streamline operations.
Since that time, several top level staffers at the Commission, including its executive director, Kirk Wendland, and Downtown Development Authority managing director Al Battle, have accepted positions elsewhere.
Those positions are in the process of being filled, though the five JEDC positions that were eliminated in June will not.
The JEDC manages 11 divisions and authorities for the City, including Sports and Entertainment and Downtown Development. Its responsibilities range from business recruiting to Jacksonville promotion and advocacy across the country.