by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
A career that got started because of a pair of basketball shoes.
That’s how Paul Eckert, the new general manager at the Omni Jacksonville Hotel, describes his professional life story.
“I wanted a pair of basketball shoes that were more expensive than my father was willing to buy, so being a good father he told me I should get a job and earn the money if I wanted those shoes,” said Eckert. “The only job I could get at age 15 years was a pot washer in a kitchen.”
Eckert has worked in hotels ever since, through high school and then while he majored in hospitality in college. He entered Omni Hotels’ “Leaders in Development” program after he graduated and the Jacksonville hotel is his fourth Omni assignment.
Eckert moved into the general manager’s office last week after almost three years at the Omni’s Mandalay at Las Colinas in Irving, Texas where he was director of operations. and part of Omni’s management task force that gets new properties up and running.
He said he was interested in the Jacksonville general manager’s job as soon as he heard his predecessor, Scott Stuckey, was transferring to the Omni Bedford Springs Resort in Pennsylvania. A visit to Jacksonville left him with a wonderful impression of the city, the hotel and especially the staff, said Eckert.
“I was going to the airport and stopped at a gas station to fill up the rental car before I turned it in. I left the gas cap door open and started driving off, but a lady flagged me down and even closed the door for me. Things like that don’t happen everywhere.
“Omni is a small company and we’re like a family. I know Scott and I know handing over a hotel to another manager is like handing over a child. He did great work here and the staff is tremendous The 180 people who work here at the hotel used to depend on Scott and now they’ll depend on me,” said Eckert.
He pointed out that his first task at the hotel is to get to know the staff, then Eckert will begin to continue the Omni’s tradition of community involvement. While he was in Irving, the Omni was involved in a campaign for the March of Dimes that raised $100,000. Eckert was also involved in a successful effort to forge a public-private partnership to build a new convention center there.
“When I got here I told the team we are going to do some great things for this community. When you take care of your backyard, your backyard will take care of you,” he said.
“We’re excited that Omni has sent Paul here,” said John Reyes, president and CEO of Visit Jacksonville. “He has been very successful in other top markets and was a finalist for the 2008 Dallas Hotel Association’s ‘Star of the Industry Manager of the Year Award.’ He also has experience in both the food and beverage part of the business and in operations.”
The business opportunity isn’t the only reason Eckert is looking forward to moving his wife and three children to Jacksonville.
“Jacksonville just feels right. The toughest decision for us will be where to live. Jacksonville has so many great neighborhoods like the beach and Downtown and San Marco. It’s not like that in all cities,” he said.
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