Some people search through more than one job field before they find their career while others discover their calling quickly.
Donald Harris said he basically was born into the hospitality business.
His father was a chef and Harris followed in his footsteps by graduating from the culinary program at Florida Community College at Jacksonville, now Florida State College at Jacksonville.
Harris said he started as a dishwasher before taking a job as a kitchen intern in St. Augustine. He lists some of North Florida’s historic restaurant landmarks on his resume, including Beauclerc Country Club, Preben Johansen’s Le Chateau and Fred Abood’s Green Derby, among others.
“I’ve been going hard at it for 35 years. I probably worked for 10 different chefs,” said Harris.
He made the transition out of the kitchen and into the executive suite and has since served as director or manager of food and beverage or general manager at several properties in the area.
Harris also has been involved with the local hospitality industry. He’s a past president and board member of the North Florida Hotel & Lodging Association and former chairman of the Jacksonville International Airport Management Council.
Harris has served in several capacities with the Jacksonville Convention & Visitors Bureau (Visit Jacksonville) and as a member of the JAX Chamber board of governors.
Three months ago, Harris was named general manager of the Wyndham Jacksonville Riverwalk on the Southbank. It’s a 320-room conference center hotel with more than 30,000 square feet of meeting space, including a rooftop ballroom.
Harris said it’s the biggest – and most exciting – challenge of his career.
“I have always wanted to be the general manager of a large, full-service group hotel. When you’re in this business, that’s your goal,” he said.
There’s never a dull moment. “The general manager gets involved with all the departments from the grounds to the budget,” said Harris.
“Everything has to be orchestrated and we never get a second chance to make a first impression. It’s all about our guests and all about our level of service,” he said.
Since Harris arrived, the hotel has added a new breakfast buffet and a prime rib dinner buffet is in the planning stages.
“We’re always looking for opportunities to better take care of our guests. When someone comes to this hotel for the first time, we want them to want to come back,” he said.
One consistency throughout his career is that when he arrives home in the evening, he’s always anxious to return to work.
“It’s competitive and it’s challenging. One thing about the hospitality business – it’s something new every day,” said Harris.
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