AT THE HELM

Shaun McEachern, general manager of the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Portsmouth Photo:  Michael McCord

It's not often that a manager takes a 17-year break in her career to raise a family and then returns without seemingly missing a beat. But Shaun McEachern, the general manager of the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Portsmouth, did just that and couldn't be happier with her choices and her current job.

"This is my dream job," said McEachern, a Brookline, Mass., native who began her hotel managing career in 1970. "It's a gift. I live a quarter mile from my passion," she recently told Seacoast Ventures.

McEachern's managerial positions included stints at the Parker House in Boston and Sheraton Wayfarer in Bedford. She took a break to raise a family in 1986 and returned to the industry in 2003 at the Hampton Inn.

She was hired as the general manager of the Hilton Garden Inn in November 2005, six months before the new hotel opened. She oversees a staff of 40 and the development of the 133-room facility that has dramatically transformed the Hanover/High street area -- and has begun to change the business and tourist dynamics of the larger downtown district.

ON KEEPING STAFF CHANGES TO A MINIMUM IN AN INDUSTRY WITH TRADITIONALLY HIGH TURNOVER RATES: I'm pleased that we've had no front desk turnover in eight months. I know this sounds soft but if you appreciate them, you work with them, it can make a huge difference in productivity and morale. If you have hard-working people who are all on the same page you can do a lot to expand what I say all the time is "the heart" of our business -- to embrace every day as a chance to slay them (customers) with great service. We believe in doing onto others more and better than we would have them do onto us.

On the importance of the Hilton Garden Inn to the downtown area: It's something magical. You can walk out the door and walk into the city. We see that it brings more life, more opportunity, and more visitors to downtown.

On measuring progress: The Hilton people say our progress has been great and our management company is also happy. I see we are establishing ourselves inch by inch, day by day. Our corporate and business accounts are growing and we are seeing more leisure bookings. I think this summer we are going to be very busy.

We keep driving because you can never be complacent, never think you've got it made. When you reach that point, you're certain to fail.

On setting an example: I'm a complete people pleaser. I'm always picking up the ringing phone even though others can do it. Why? I want to make that sale, make a relationship. When the customer arrives I want them to think of me, of us as an old friend. I also come in and work the restaurant dining room on Sundays to get a different look at how we are doing. I host, serve and bus tables, anything that needs to be done. I want everyone to think differently, to wonder "if we were the best how would we be doing it?" I also want to show them there's no such thing as "it's not my job."

On serving the base: We need to build the base and nurture the business community. It represents about 50 percent of our bookings. We let them know that if you are loyal to us, we will be loyal to them when they call with last-minute requests. It doesn't always happen in this industry. It speaks volumes when you do more than talk and actually walk the walk.