Reputation and giving back to community helps hospitality company attract workers

Mike Quillen, co-owner of Sarasota-based Gecko’s Hospitality Group, echoes many in hospitality when he says “it’s a very tight labor market that’s getting much tighter.”

Because of the strong economy, Quillen says the group has experienced competition for employees with other restaurants and hotels opening in Sarasota and the surrounding area. There’s a constant pressure from what he calls the “explosion” of hotels that have opened specifically in downtown Sarasota.