MY SECRET PLACE

June 1, 2023

I am an open person most of the time but there are some things that I am tight lipped about. I spend most of my waking hours working or thinking about work matters and reflecting on my mission of service to God, Country and Family. By most people’s standards, I probably don’t have the right balance in my life, but it’s just who I am.  Thank God I have a family that kind of understands me and knows I am on a mission. They have been fortunate that my efforts have provided for them. Seldom did my family take a vacation but the ones we did take were always nice. One of our Christmas vacations was to my favorite place in the world (other than my ranch), the Hay-Adams hotel in Washington, D.C.  I don’t readily share much about my special place but it’s where I truly feel a strong sense of my mission of service to God, Country and Family. The place is expensive and over the past forty years I have been there less than ten times and maybe twice with my family. Each visit leaves me with humbling, spiritual and patriotic feelings. Each visit touches my heart as I ask my boss up above why am I so blessed to have had these feelings and I pray that I am not letting him down. I have been a defense contractor for the past thirty years and each time I go to Washington, D.C., the first place I visit is the Washington National Cathedral, which I refer to as my “Home Office.” I walk all around the cathedral and think about all the many people, famous and common, who have walked the same halls and prayed in the same chapels as me. I visit the chapel that honors our military service members and feel deeply blessed and honored to help serve our Country. After these visits, I go my hotel and take care of whatever business took me to Washington.

Several years ago, a seasoned political person suggested that I stay at the Hay-Adams. The hotel would be easy to overlook as one is walking or driving by it. What has become my secret place is the Presidential Suite in the Hay-Adams. It’s expensive, about $3,500 a night, but worth every penny to me. Be assured that I have donated a lot more money and reinvested a lot more into my companies so I occasionally enjoy this place without feeling grossly guilty about not being a good steward with money. Looking out the window in the corner room of the Presidential Suite one can see the White House directly across the street. The room is about the same elevation as the Secret Service agents protecting the White House. Out the other window of the suite I can look down at St. John’s Episcopal Church, which is known as the “Church of the Presidents.” (I’ve been honored and blessed to have been entrusted with prayer books from St. John’s and the National Cathedral which are housed in my ranch chapel).

I am humbled that a once dumb kid whose family had lots of challenges can have such an experience in this suite. Words cannot properly describe this blessing. The reason that I share this story is because if a poor kid with limited resources but with a relentless passion to make a difference can succeed, so can you or anyone else who dreams big, works their ass off and keeps the faith despite lots of failure on the journey. God bless those we serve in support of God, Country and Family.

The next time you are in Washington, D.C., go into the Hay-Adams bar “Off the Record” in the hotel basement and have a diet coke with rum and two lime wedges for me! Know that being “Funded on Faith” can and does work if we will only persevere, with God’s favor! God bless our great Country and our families!

Written by KING AEROSPACE Founder, Jerry Allan King-Echevarria.