May 1, 2017

Meet George Jordan of Oxford Hotels & Resorts in Downtown

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to George Jordan.

Thanks for sharing your story with us George. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
When I was in college, I needed “beer money”… took a job as a dishwasher at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix. A couple of weeks later I was promoted to busboy. A few months after that I was a “waiter”, now we say ‘server’. Fast forward 10 years, Director of Food and Beverage at a hotel in Minneapolis. In 1999 I became the Area Director of Food and Beverage for Hilton International, based at the Drake Hotel Chicago. Subsequently I became a General Manager, Area General Manager. Since 2009 I’ve been with Oxford Hotels & Resorts; I was promoted to Senior Vice President in 2012. Since then, we’ve added to our portfolio Godfrey Chicago, Godfrey Boston, Godfrey Hollywood, and the iconic LondonHouse Chicago, plus Cass, Felix, Essex, Bay Harbor Hotel Tampa.

Has it been a smooth road?
Absolutely not. Struggles began early with alcohol. In 1989 however, I sobered up. And although I haven’t had a drink in nearly 30 years, I still consider myself an alcoholic. I think that keeps me grounded and hungry. And of course, life is full of relationships that begin and end, but mostly endure.

Professionally, I’ve had setbacks along the way, including missed opportunities, soured investments, and failed initiatives. But I really don’t look back; it’s better to look to the future. It’s true that we learn by trying, and in trying we learn fast.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Oxford Hotels & Resorts – known for developing and managing independent and branded “lifestyle” hotels, generally in urban locations, with high style and design. We find the best people, empower them, and have fun making great returns for our investment partners.

My role as Senior Vice President is to oversee the strategic and tactical management of 10 hotels leveraging the strengths of team members. And by team, I refer not only to the executives but to our colleagues that do the demanding work. Making beds, cooking meals, counting the receipts is hard work; they do all the hard work and are the unsung heroes. Hotels are open 24/7/365 … the team never stops.

Very proud of the organization we’ve built, the accolades we’ve won, but most of all, proud to empower our people; collaborative efforts work.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Chicago – wonderful city for tourism, business travelers, and Midwest Hospitality. I often say it’s the perfect meld of East Coast and West Coast. We have the great public transportation, skyline, urban excitement of New York, but the vast green spaces and water (Lake Michigan) of California. Winters are actually pretty fun, and then comes spring.

The hundreds of neighborhoods add charm and vitality. Yet, sometime we divide ourselves by Southside, Northside, Westside… would love to see North Meets South Meets West initiative to foster inclusiveness.

And definitely, we need to fix the potholes.

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