Path to Power Michael Quillen of Gecko’s Hospitality Group

Michael Quillen

President of Gecko’s Hospitality Group

As President of Gecko’s Hospitality Group, encompassing nine independent restaurants, Michael Quillen is involved in every aspect of their operation. These restaurant concepts include six Gecko’s Grill & Pub locations, Dry Dock Waterfront Grill, Dockside Waterfront Grill and Tripletail Seafood & Spirits, plus the legendary Red Barn Bar and its attached package store.

The original Gecko’s Grill & Pub opened its flagship restaurant in 1992. With a team of over 600 employees and very little turnover in management, Quillen’s philosophy for his business always comes back to hospitality. Classically trained in a variety of corporate, franchise and family-owned boutique restaurants, Quillen’s expertise in restaurant management combines a tough work ethic, strong business acumen and a healthy dose of elbow grease.

Quillen is involved in the community and is a graduate of Leadership Florida. He was personally awarded the prestigious National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Neighbor Florida Cornerstone Humanitarian award four times, and Gecko’s Grill & Pub has received numerous state awards and was honored with the Restaurant Neighbor Award for the U.S. in 2017. Quillen is Past President of the Suncoast Chapter of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association and currently serves on the Governmental Affairs & PAC Committees of the FRLA.

Quillen attended State College of Florida on a tennis scholarship and studied history and political science at New College in Sarasota, Florida. Quillen and his wife, Mary, have two daughters.

Q: How did you get started in the hospitality industry? I was interested in hospitality from early on. Some of my great summer memories are from observing my dad, Carter Quillen, run many successful restaurants in Connecticut. I enjoyed the energy and absorbed so much being around him that I grew up enjoying the atmosphere in restaurants. At 14, my first job was at Marina Jacks as a busboy. Later, I parked cars at a wonderful restaurant in Siesta Key and, in a twist of fortune, ended up owning that valet service and acquiring another while in school. I continued to work in local restaurants in multiple roles in FOH and BOH and was recruited by Steak and Ale management in 1985 for their Manager in Training program. I trained on International Drive in Orlando and subsequently in several Florida cities before being recruited as the Food and Beverage Manager at a Holiday Inn in Tallahassee. Every experience was valuable. I came back to Sarasota to open the first Gecko’s Grill & Pub in 1992.

Q: Early in your career, what were the most valuable lessons that you learned? Some of the big ones; how to be on time, how to work with a wide variety of people, the importance of a guest-focused mindset and the importance of hard work. To this day, one of the most enduring lessons has been to not give up.

Q: Do you have any mentors who were instrumental in helping you achieve your goals? My Dad, who at 82 years young is still running his own very successful restaurant, Monkey’s Uncle, in its 35th year in Jax Beach. He has owned and operated many successful concepts and continues to be a significant influence. Don Garvey, our partner with the venerable Red Barn Bar for decades, is another standout. He taught me that every penny and nickel, every dime and quarter add up to a dollar. His hands-on approach and dedication to the Red Barn, the business and his team have stayed with me.

Q: Are you taking any special measures in the face of the labor shortage in the hospitality industry to recruit and retain talent? We are constantly recruiting and continue to promote from within. We continuously work on new training programs, and we are dedicated to providing the most impactful benefits we can afford.

One of those retention-focused practices is providing a work culture for our team that integrates “the employee experience.” While the “guest experience” is, of course, an integral part of our culture, our employees have always been our heroes. We feel fortunate to have three generations of families working with us and managers whose tenures span decades. Part of that work-family loyalty and retention comes from treating others as we would want to be treated.

Q: What is the single greatest factor in the success of your career? Taking the greatest care to choose the right people, which then enables you to build strong teams who, in turn, take great care to serve hospitality and grow in the business. Following that, recognizing the importance of providing them with opportunities to thrive in your organization.

Q: Is there anything that you would like to share with Florida’s hospitality industry? Get involved! Network, contribute, collaborate, build alliances and be involved with everything you possibly can in your local, state and national community.

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