Jacksonville, Fla. (June 16, 2023) – Joe Hindsley, general manager of Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront, an upscale downtown hotel located on the St. Johns River next to the scenic Main Street Bridge, announces his retirement after 40 years of working for Hyatt.
“I have decided to retire after forty years of service with Hyatt Hotels. It has been a great honor and privilege to have worked for this outstanding company more than four decades, in thirteen hotels, and eleven markets,” said Hindsley. “I leave knowing that the team at Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront will enjoy continued success because of their outstanding service culture, as well as their commitment to excellence to the hotel, its guests and the entire Jacksonville community.”
“We are forever grateful to Joe for his tireless dedication and leadership during his accomplished 40-year Hyatt career,” said Pete Sears, group president – Americas for Hyatt Hotels Corporation. “From his start as a corporate management trainee at Hyatt Regency Minneapolis to completing his career as general manager at Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront, Joe’s impact has been felt far and wide. He embodies Hyatt service culture and purpose of care by setting the highest example among his colleagues and we will miss Joe dearly.”
Under Hindsley’s recent leadership at Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront, he managed the effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the travel and hospitality industries and secured a mission contract with the United States Marine Corps (USMC) resulting in a $26 million economic impact for the City of Jacksonville when tourist numbers were down. Hindsley also completed a multi-million-dollar renovation of the meeting and event space at the city’s largest hotel, accommodating and enticing more events and tourism to Jacksonville. He helped revitalize the city’s riverfront by supporting the demolition of the of the abandoned Berkman Plaza 2 Tower facilitating growth of the museum campus and stimulating tourism to the city’s historical sites. In addition, Hindsley supported the preservation of the maritime heritage in Jacksonville by helping to relocate the USS Orleck, one of the most decorated naval ships since WWII, to its permanent home in the newly-founded museum district moored near the Jacksonville Naval Museum. In the past year, Hindsley and his team have returned the property to pre-pandemic business levels, thus positively impacting the city and the business community.
“Joe Hindsley’s service on the Duval County Tourist Development Council (TDC) was priceless. His expertise and experience in the hospitality industry added greatly to the ability of the TDC to be strategic in a time like we have never experienced as we exited the pandemic. Joe will be missed but we wish him well as he enters this much-deserved retirement,” said Carol Stowers Brock, executive director of Duval County Tourist Development Council.
“As the leader of Visit Jacksonville, I was able to work a lot with Joe often both as the general manager of the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront and as a TDC Member. Joe was a true professional and I’ll never forget the calming influence he had coming out of the pandemic at the Hyatt,” said Michael Corrigan, president and CEO of Visit Jacksonville. “Joe always provided wonderful industry guidance. His willingness to serve, whether as an industry leader in our community, or on our Tourist Development Council, was always apparent. He was always willing to share his experience and knowledge to help our local community grow. When you have the largest hotel in our community supporting your everyday efforts, it certainly makes my job easier. He is a wonderful industry leader and really helped to educate other area hoteliers and businesses.”
“Joe was an experienced hotel professional and was a valuable addition to Downtown Jacksonville Florida. His leadership at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront was well-respected and his tourism knowledge was vast,” said Jake Gordon, CEO of Downtown Vision, Inc, Downtown Jacksonville’s Business Development District. “Joe was a valued member of our City of Jacksonville Tourism Development Council. He will be missed in our Downtown community, but we wish him very well in his well-deserved retirement.”
Throughout Hindsley’s career, he had made a significant impact at the Hyatt properties and in the communities where he lived and worked. As general manager of Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Hindsley was a pioneer in establishing sustainability programs and spearheaded energy and water conservation initiatives which became the model for other hotels to follow. At Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch, he was instrumental in renovating and reopening the Gateway Arch Grounds to the public and dedicated his time to serving the local community. He was a board member of the St. Louis Sport Commission, and served as an executive board member and treasurer for the St. Louis Community Improvement District. He was also personally appointed by St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay to the St. Louis Convention & Visitor’s Commission and was a two-term president for the St. Louis Hotel Association. As general manager of Hyatt Regency Atlanta, the Georgia Hotel and Lodging Association named Hindsley General Manager of the Year in 2006. He received the Atlanta Business League Pathfinder Award in 2007, and was recognized as an Outstanding Georgia Citizen by Secretary of State of Georgia Karen Handel in 2007. During his tenure at Hyatt, Hindsley received numerous awards and recognitions including being named Hyatt Hotels General Manager of the Year in 2012 and received a nomination for that distinguished honor four separate times across his illustrious career.
Hindsley has worked with Hyatt Corporation for more than 40 years. He began his career as a corporate management trainee at Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. He served as a food and beverage director at properties including Hyatt Regency Alicante in California, Hyatt Regency Milwaukee, Hyatt Regency Columbus, and Hyatt Regency Dallas Fort Worth Airport. He was promoted to general manager in 1997 and has overseen hotels including Hyatt Regency Lisle in Illinois, Hyatt Regency St. Louis at Union Station, Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch, Hyatt Regency Hill Country, and Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront.
Hindsley graduated from Pennsylvania State University with his Bachelors of Science Degree in Food Service and Housing Administration. He will be moving to Clearwater Beach, Fla. with Lisa, his wife of 37 years. According to the team at Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront, Hindsley will be greatly missed as he led the hotel through the challenges of COVID-19, made a positive impact on the careers of his coworkers and hotel staff, and retuned the property to its pre-pandemic levels supporting hotel guests and groups as well as the City of Jacksonville.
For more information or to book a stay at Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront, please visit hyattregencyjacksonville.com, or call (904) 588-1234.
