2012 Hotelier of the Year/Hall of Fame Award

Jack B. Healan, Jr., CHA

The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association presented its 2012 Hotelier Hall of Fame Award to Jack Healan, of the Omni Amelia Island Plantation during FRLA’s Winter Board Meeting in Destin, Florida.

Healan, 66, was President of the northeast Florida resort/residential community, Amelia Island Plantation Company, from 1990 to 2010.

Prior to joining Amelia Island Plantation on June 27, 1978, Healan was Vice President and Controller of the Sea Pines Company on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina and served as Controller for the Sea Pines Plantation Company.  From 1970 to 1975, Mr. Healan held several positions with the Sea Pines Company from Staff Accountant to Corporate Accounting Manager in the management of the Sea Pines Company.  Prior to joining the Sea Pines Company, Jack worked as a flight instructor and corporate pilot. 

Jack is active in his community, having served as President of the Amelia Island/Fernandina Beach Chamber of Commerce.  He currently serves as a member of the Nassau County Tourist Development Council and has served on that Board since its inception.  He is on the Advisory Board of Compass Bank – Jacksonville, FL, and served as a Director of the Federal Reserve Bank Atlanta – Jacksonville Branch, for six years completing his final term in 2010.  He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Baptist Medical Center – Nassau.  He is a past member of the Metro YMCA Board of Directors, which serves all YMCA organizations in northeast Florida.

Jack has been active in the lodging industry, having served as the past President of the Florida Hotel & Motel Association.  In 1991 Healan captured FH&MA’s highest award by being named Florida’s Hotelier of the Year.  He is a member of the Board of Directors of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, and in June of 2003 he was honored by that organization with the Lawson A. Odde Award, which is given annually to a member of the Board of Directors, recognizing outstanding contributions to the advancement of the lodging industry and communications between the state, local and national associations.  He is also on the Resort Committee of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, having served as its Chairman in 2003.   In March of 1999, Yesawich, Pepperdine & Brown and the Resort Forum presented him the Resort Executive of the Year award.  He is a past Board member of the Hotel and Restaurant Advisory Council for the State of Florida.  He earned Certified Hotel Administrator status through the AH&MA in 1984.  Jack also served on the Board of Governors of the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

In 1992 Jack was appointed by the late Governor Lawton Chiles to serve on the newly created Florida Commission on Tourism.  He served as Vice-Chairman of the Florida Commission on Tourism and as the Chairman of Visit Florida, Inc. in 2000.  In 1992, he was appointed to be a Trustee of the Florida Hotel/Motel Association Workers’ Compensation Fund.  The Workers’ Compensation Fund is now the Florida Hospitality Mutual Insurance Company, and he currently serves as its Chairman.  In August 1995, Jack was inducted into the Florida Tourism Hall of Fame, and in October 1995, he was appointed by then U.S. Representative Tillie Fowler to serve as a delegate to the White House Conference on Travel and Tourism. 

Healan is a native of Rock Hill, South Carolina, and a graduate of the Citadel with a B.S. Degree in Business Administration.  He served in the United States Marine Corps, including a tour in Vietnam.  The Healan family resides on Amelia Island Plantation.  He and his wife Karen have two children and two grandchildren.

While working at Amelia Island Plantation, Jack “coined” the phrase:  “We are committed to making people happy”.  Well, Jack you have.  Congratulations!