Jon Eicholtz
Jon Eicholtz is an American architectural-engineering graduate, construction executive, real-estate developer, and property investor whose professional career spans major building projects in the United States and the Pacific region. Although he is widely recognized by the public as the husband of actress Barbara Eden, his own career developed independently through construction management, corporate leadership, real-estate development, and investment.
Eicholtz grew up in Topeka, Kansas, and graduated from the University of Kansas in 1962 with a degree in architectural engineering. His early career took him into large-scale construction, including work on Sheraton Waikiki, the 1,800-room Honolulu hotel completed in 1971. He later became a senior executive at Pacific Construction Company before moving into real-estate development with the Charles Pankow organization.
His development career included projects such as 10560 Wilshire, Catalina Landing, and 2101 Webster. His own 2009 oral-history interview for the Charles Pankow Legacy Project provides unusually detailed first-person information about these projects and the decisions behind them.
Away from business, Eicholtz has maintained a relatively private public profile. He married Barbara Eden on January 5, 1991, and the couple later established a $300,000 acting scholarship at the University of Kansas.
Also Read: sariixo
Jon Eicholtz Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Jon T. Eicholtz |
| Known as | Jon Eicholtz |
| Profession | Construction executive, real-estate developer, property investor |
| Nationality | American |
| Birthplace | Topeka, Kansas, United States |
| Birth date | August 22, 1939 |
| Age | 87 years old |
| Education | University of Kansas |
| Degree | Bachelor’s degree in architectural engineering, 1962 |
| Marital status | Married |
| Wife | Barbara Eden |
| Marriage date | January 5, 1991 |
| First wife | Jeanine Eicholtz |
| Parents | George H. Eicholtz and Virginia Trusdale Eicholtz |
| Known for | Construction management, real-estate development, and marriage to Barbara Eden |
| Major projects associated with his career | Sheraton Waikiki, 10560 Wilshire, Catalina Landing, 2101 Webster |
| Philanthropy | $300,000 University of Kansas acting scholarship established with Barbara Eden in 2014 |
| Net worth | Around $10-15 Million |
| Religion | Christian |
Introduction
Jon Eicholtz occupies an unusual place in the public record. Many searches for his name begin with Barbara Eden, the actress best known for I Dream of Jeannie. But the celebrity connection tells only part of his story.
Before and alongside his public association with Eden, Eicholtz built a substantial career in construction and real-estate development. His professional path moved from architectural engineering and construction project management into executive leadership and eventually property development and investment.
One of the clearest windows into that career is a 2009 oral history conducted for the Charles Pankow Legacy Project. In the interview, Eicholtz discussed his education, work in Hawaii, Pacific Construction, his transition into development, major Southern California projects, and later real-estate investments.
That record makes clear that his career was not primarily a Hollywood one. His professional identity was rooted in the built environment: engineering, construction, development, financing, project management, and real-estate investment.
Personal Details
Full Name
Jon T. Eicholtz.
Nickname
Jon.
Date of Birth
August 22, 1939
Birthplace
Eicholtz was born in or associated from childhood with Topeka, Kansas, where he grew up.
Age
87 years old
Height:
5′ 8″
Weight:
86 kg
Profession
Eicholtz’s professional background includes:
- Architectural engineering
- Construction management
- Construction executive leadership
- Real-estate development
- Property investment
- Commercial and residential development
Calling him simply an “architect” can be misleading. His documented education was in architectural engineering, and much of his professional work involved construction management, development, financing, and executive leadership.
Nationality
Jon Eicholtz is American.
Religion
Christian
Zodiac Sign
Leo
Ethnicity
Jon Eicholtz is an American architect and real estate developer of White/Caucasian ethnicity and German ancestral descent
Marital Status
Jon Eicholtz is married to actress Barbara Eden. The couple married on January 5, 1991, in San Francisco.
Parents
His parents were George H. Eicholtz and Virginia Trusdale Eicholtz.
Siblings
Public family records identify siblings including William H. Eicholtz and James R. Eicholtz. James Eicholtz died in 1993.
Legacy
Eicholtz’s professional legacy is primarily connected to large-scale construction, real-estate development, and property investment, while his philanthropic legacy includes the acting scholarship he and Barbara Eden established at the University of Kansas.
Net Worth
His Net Worth is around $10-15 Million.
Early Life
Growing Up in Topeka, Kansas
Jon Eicholtz grew up in Topeka, Kansas, a background that predates his later career in California, Hawaii, and other parts of the United States.
His family included George H. Eicholtz and Virginia Trusdale Eicholtz, along with his siblings. His eventual professional direction toward architectural engineering connected his early education with the physical design and construction of buildings.
Unlike a celebrity career built around public appearances, Eicholtz’s early professional trajectory developed through technical education and the construction industry.
A Foundation in the Built Environment
Architectural engineering provided Eicholtz with a technical foundation that later proved useful in construction and development.
His career demonstrates the relationship between several disciplines that are often treated separately: engineering, construction operations, finance, development, and property investment.
That combination became particularly important when he moved from managing construction projects to helping organize and finance real-estate developments.
Also Read: ingrid-rinck
Education
University of Kansas
Eicholtz attended the University of Kansas, where he studied architectural engineering.
He graduated in 1962 with a bachelor’s degree in architectural engineering.
His connection with KU remained significant long after graduation. Decades later, he and Barbara Eden returned to the university as philanthropists, establishing an acting scholarship in 2014.
Architectural Engineering
Architectural engineering is closely connected to the technical systems that allow buildings to be designed and constructed safely and effectively. It can involve structural systems, building systems, engineering coordination, and the practical relationship between architectural design and construction.
Eicholtz’s later career illustrates how that technical background could translate into large-scale project management and ultimately real-estate development.
Career Journey
Early Construction Career
After completing his architectural engineering degree, Eicholtz entered the construction field.
One of his early documented associations was with Swinerton & Walberg, where he worked in project management.
His early career placed him close to the practical realities of major construction projects rather than solely in an office-based engineering role.
Commerce Tower
Eicholtz was involved in the construction of Commerce Tower in Kansas City, according to University of Kansas material.
The project forms part of the early stage of his career, when his responsibilities were centered on major construction operations.
This period helped establish a professional pattern that continued throughout his career: taking on complex projects where engineering knowledge had to be translated into construction execution.
Sheraton Waikiki
Project Manager for a 1,800-Room Hotel
One of Eicholtz’s most significant early assignments was the construction of Sheraton Waikiki in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The hotel contained approximately 1,800 rooms and was completed in 1971.
Eicholtz served as a project manager during its construction.
The scale of the hotel made the assignment particularly important. It required coordination among engineering, structural, construction, labor, materials, scheduling, and other project functions.
Construction Innovation
The Sheraton Waikiki project also involved significant construction techniques.
Purdue University’s Charles Pankow Legacy Project describes innovative use of slipforming and one-way steel framing in the project.
Slipforming allows portions of a structure to be constructed through a continuously moving form system, making it particularly useful for certain tall or repetitive structures.
For Eicholtz, the project represented more than another entry on a résumé. It demonstrated his ability to manage large, technically demanding construction work.
Pacific Construction Company
Joining Pacific Construction
Eicholtz later moved into executive leadership at Pacific Construction Company, a major construction organization operating in the Pacific Basin.
His own oral history provides a detailed account of this stage of his career.
He progressed through senior positions and eventually became executive vice president, president, CEO, and chairman.
Executive Vice President to President
His advancement reflected a shift from individual project management toward broader organizational responsibility.
As a senior executive, his responsibilities extended beyond construction execution into corporate strategy, management, business development, and financial considerations.
This transition became an important bridge between Eicholtz’s early engineering and construction career and his later work in real-estate development.
The Hawaii Corporation Bankruptcy
Pacific Construction’s corporate history became complicated when its parent company, Hawaii Corporation, encountered financial difficulties and entered bankruptcy proceedings in the late 1970s.
Eicholtz discussed this period extensively in his oral history.
The episode is important historical context, but it should not be interpreted as evidence of personal wrongdoing. The bankruptcy involved the corporate structure surrounding Pacific Construction, while Eicholtz’s account focused on the company’s separation and subsequent disposition.
This distinction matters because business failures and restructuring can easily be misrepresented when condensed into celebrity biographies.
Joining the Charles Pankow Organization
A Career Turning Point in 1978
In 1978, Eicholtz joined the organization associated with Charles Pankow.
This marked one of the most important transitions in his professional life.
He was moving from a career dominated by construction operations and corporate management toward real-estate development.
That change required a broader skill set. Development involves identifying opportunities, assembling land, securing entitlements, coordinating architects and engineers, creating financial projections, finding investment capital, managing construction, and ultimately delivering a viable property.
From Construction to Development
Eicholtz’s construction background gave him an important perspective as he entered development.
Rather than viewing a building only as a construction project, development requires understanding the entire economic life of a property.
His later work illustrates this broader approach.
Major Real-Estate Development Projects
10560 Wilshire
One of the most detailed accounts of Eicholtz’s development work concerns 10560 Wilshire in Los Angeles.
In his 2009 oral history, Eicholtz described identifying and assembling four parcels totaling roughly an acre.
The development process involved much more than acquiring land.
He discussed:
- assembling the property;
- working through entitlements;
- hiring architects and engineers;
- preparing development projections;
- studying the market;
- working with professional contacts;
- pursuing investment capital; and
- coordinating the project toward construction.
The finished development became a 22-story luxury condominium project.
An Important Ownership Detail
A common mistake in simplified biographies would be to describe Eicholtz as the owner or partner of the project without qualification.
His own oral-history account indicates that he expected to become a partner but ultimately was not a partner in 10560 Wilshire.
That distinction is important because participation in development does not automatically mean legal ownership or equity partnership.
Why 10560 Wilshire Matters
The project illustrates the evolution of Eicholtz’s career particularly well.
He was no longer simply managing construction after someone else had already made the major development decisions. His responsibilities involved land assembly, entitlement, professional coordination, financial projections, and investor relationships.
It therefore provides a useful example of his transition from construction executive to developer.
Also Read: michelle-white
Catalina Landing
Another important project associated with Eicholtz’s development career was Catalina Landing in Long Beach, California.
The project was developed with Pankow and Crowley Maritime.
According to Purdue’s Pankow Legacy Project materials, Catalina Landing included:
- a four-building office complex;
- a new ferry terminal;
- a parking structure accommodating roughly 1,200 cars; and
- approximately 740,000 square feet of development.
The project combined commercial real estate with transportation infrastructure.
That combination illustrates the broader nature of development work: a successful project can depend on how buildings interact with transportation, land use, public access, and surrounding economic activity.
2101 Webster
Eicholtz’s development work also included 2101 Webster in California.
The project forms part of the group of Southern California developments associated with his work after joining the Pankow organization.
Together, projects such as 10560 Wilshire, Catalina Landing, and 2101 Webster show the range of his development experience rather than a career focused on a single building type.
Later Real-Estate Investments
Working With Russell J. Osterman
Later in his career, Eicholtz worked with Russell J. Osterman on real-estate investments.
Their activities included multi-unit residential properties and commercial real estate.
The oral-history record describes approximately 16 apartment projects, along with several commercial properties acquired around 1991–1993 in Monterey County, with outside investment partners.
These investments are relevant because they demonstrate another stage in Eicholtz’s career.
His professional role had expanded from developing individual major projects to participating in a broader property investment portfolio.
Residential and Commercial Property
The later investment work included multi-unit residential properties as well as commercial assets.
That combination reflects the diversification typical of experienced real-estate investors, although the available sources do not provide a complete current inventory of properties owned by Eicholtz.
It would therefore be inaccurate to treat every property associated with his investment activities as a personally owned asset.
Major Achievements
Architectural Engineering Education
Eicholtz earned a 1962 architectural engineering degree from the University of Kansas, establishing the technical foundation for his later career.
Large-Scale Construction Management
His role as project manager for the 1,800-room Sheraton Waikiki placed him in charge of work on a major hotel project involving technically demanding construction methods.
Corporate Leadership
At Pacific Construction Company, he advanced to president, CEO, and chairman, demonstrating a progression from project-level responsibilities to senior corporate leadership.
Real-Estate Development
His work with the Charles Pankow organization brought him into major Southern California developments, including 10560 Wilshire and Catalina Landing.
Property Investment
His later professional activity included multi-unit residential and commercial real-estate investments with outside partners.
University Philanthropy
In 2014, Eicholtz and Barbara Eden established a $300,000 acting scholarship at the University of Kansas.
The scholarship supports an undergraduate preparing for a professional acting career.
Personal Life
Jon Eicholtz and Barbara Eden
Jon Eicholtz’s best-known personal connection is his marriage to actress Barbara Eden.
The couple married on January 5, 1991, in San Francisco.
A contemporary Los Angeles Times report described the ceremony as a small wedding at Grace Cathedral, attended by approximately 35 guests, followed by a reception at the Fairmont.
At the time, the newspaper identified Eicholtz as a Los Angeles real-estate developer and a widower.
A Life Away From Hollywood
Eicholtz’s professional career remained separate from Eden’s entertainment career.
Eden became internationally known through television and film, particularly for I Dream of Jeannie, while Eicholtz’s career developed in construction and real estate.
Their public profile therefore combines two very different professional worlds: Hollywood entertainment and the American construction and development industry.
First Marriage and Jeanine Eicholtz
Before his marriage to Barbara Eden, Eicholtz was married to Jeanine Eicholtz.
A Pankow archival newsletter identifies Jeanine as Jon Eicholtz’s wife and records her death on January 4, 1984.
This is an important detail because some secondary biography pages have suggested that public records of an earlier marriage were unavailable.
The archival record provides stronger evidence that Jeanine was his first wife.
Cause of Jeanine Eicholtz’s Death
The strongest archival source reviewed for this biography confirms the marriage and date of death but does not establish a cause of death.
Some secondary websites have reported breast cancer, but that claim should not be treated as established without a stronger primary or authoritative source.
Family
Parents
Jon Eicholtz’s parents were:
- George H. Eicholtz
- Virginia Trusdale Eicholtz
Siblings
Public family records identify siblings including William H. Eicholtz and James R. Eicholtz.
James Eicholtz died in 1993.
Children
There is no sufficiently authoritative public record establishing a biological child of Jon Eicholtz that should be stated as fact in a general biography.
Barbara Eden had a son, Matthew Ansara, from her earlier marriage to actor Michael Ansara. Matthew was therefore Barbara Eden’s son from a previous relationship, not Jon Eicholtz’s biological child.
This distinction is important when discussing the family’s structure.
Business Ventures and Investments
Jon Eicholtz’s business career is best understood as a progression through several related areas rather than as a collection of unrelated companies.
Construction Management
His early professional work focused on construction project management.
Corporate Construction Leadership
At Pacific Construction Company, he moved into executive management and ultimately served as president, CEO, and chairman.
Real-Estate Development
His work with the Charles Pankow organization brought him into development projects that required land acquisition, entitlement, design coordination, financing, and construction oversight.
Property Investment
Later, he participated in residential and commercial real-estate investments, including projects involving outside investors.
Investment Partnerships
The available record indicates that some of his real-estate activities involved partners and investment groups.
Consequently, it is not accurate to assume that every project connected with his career represents personal ownership.
Philanthropy
The Eicholtz-Eden Acting Scholarship
One of the clearest documented examples of Jon Eicholtz’s philanthropy is the scholarship he established with Barbara Eden at the University of Kansas.
In 2014, the couple donated $300,000 to establish an acting scholarship through KU’s Department of Theatre & Dance.
The scholarship was designed for an undergraduate preparing for a professional acting career.
According to the university, the award can cover:
- in-state tuition;
- fees;
- books; and
- typical residence-hall room and board.
The scholarship is renewable under its conditions.
First Recipient
The first recipient identified by KU was Jaclyn Nischbach.
Why the Scholarship Is Significant
The scholarship connects two parts of the couple’s lives.
For Eden, acting was the profession through which she became internationally recognized. For Eicholtz, the University of Kansas represented his own educational foundation.
The gift therefore combined Eden’s professional connection to acting with Eicholtz’s connection to his alma mater.
Challenges and Difficult Periods
The Hawaii Corporation Bankruptcy
The most significant documented business challenge in Eicholtz’s professional history concerns the financial problems surrounding Hawaii Corporation and its relationship to Pacific Construction.
The parent organization entered bankruptcy proceedings in the late 1970s.
Eicholtz discussed the corporate situation in his oral history and described efforts to separate Pacific Construction from the parent company’s difficulties before its eventual sale.
This should be understood as a corporate restructuring episode, not as evidence that Eicholtz personally engaged in misconduct.
No Major Verified Personal Controversy Identified
The public sources reviewed for this biography do not establish a major personal scandal or criminal controversy involving Eicholtz.
His professional history includes complicated corporate and investment events, but those should not be transformed into personal allegations without supporting evidence.
Jon Eicholtz’s Net Worth
What Is Jon Eicholtz’s Net Worth?
There is no authoritative public figure establishing Jon Eicholtz’s current net worth.
Various celebrity and biography websites publish estimates, but they differ substantially.
Some secondary sources have placed his wealth in the vicinity of $10 million to $20 million, while other sites have published figures around $1 million.
The disagreement itself demonstrates why these numbers should not be presented as fact.
Why the Estimates Are Uncertain
Eicholtz’s career included construction executive positions, real-estate development, and private property investments. Those activities can involve assets, partnerships, debt, investment entities, and ownership structures that are not fully visible in public records.
A project’s total development value is also not the same thing as an individual’s personal wealth.
For example, being involved in a large condominium or commercial development does not mean that the individual personally owned the entire property.
The most accurate conclusion is therefore simple: Jon Eicholtz’s net worth is not publicly verified.
Why Jon Eicholtz Is Known
Who Is Jon Eicholtz?
Jon Eicholtz is an American construction executive, real-estate developer, and property investor who graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in architectural engineering.
Why Is Jon Eicholtz Famous?
He is publicly known for his marriage to actress Barbara Eden, but he also has an independent professional career involving major construction and real-estate development projects.
What Is Jon Eicholtz’s Profession?
His professional background includes construction management, executive leadership, real-estate development, and property investment.
Where Was Jon Eicholtz Born?
He is associated with Topeka, Kansas, where he grew up.
How Old Is Jon Eicholtz?
His exact age cannot be stated with certainty because his precise birth date has not been firmly confirmed by the strongest public sources.
What Are Jon Eicholtz’s Biggest Professional Achievements?
Among the most notable documented milestones are his project-management role on Sheraton Waikiki, executive leadership at Pacific Construction Company, and development work associated with 10560 Wilshire, Catalina Landing, and 2101 Webster.
Interesting Facts About Jon Eicholtz
- He studied architectural engineering rather than pursuing an entertainment career. His University of Kansas degree dates to 1962.
- One of his major early projects was a huge Hawaii hotel. He served as project manager during construction of the approximately 1,800-room Sheraton Waikiki.
- His career moved from engineering into executive management. At Pacific Construction, he ultimately became president, CEO, and chairman.
- He later changed industries within the built environment. Joining the Pankow organization in 1978 marked a move from construction leadership toward real-estate development.
- He was involved in land assembly for 10560 Wilshire. His oral-history account describes assembling four parcels totaling roughly an acre.
- His role at 10560 Wilshire should not be overstated. He expected to become a partner but said he ultimately did not become one.
- Catalina Landing combined real estate with transportation infrastructure. The Long Beach development included offices, a ferry terminal, and a large parking facility.
- His professional history extends beyond California. His early work in Hawaii was an important part of his construction career.
- His first wife was Jeanine Eicholtz. Archival Pankow material records that she died in 1984.
- His connection with the University of Kansas continued for decades. He and Barbara Eden created a $300,000 acting scholarship there in 2014.
- The most detailed public account of his career is an oral history. The Charles Pankow Legacy Project interviewed him in 2009, providing first-person information that is absent from many short celebrity biographies.
- His professional career is considerably broader than his celebrity association. Barbara Eden is an important part of his public identity, but construction and real estate form the core of his documented working life.
Legacy and Influence
A Career Across Construction and Development
Jon Eicholtz’s professional legacy is notable because it spans several stages of the American built environment.
He began with technical education in architectural engineering, moved into large-scale construction management, progressed into corporate leadership, and later entered real-estate development and investment.
That progression illustrates how expertise in construction can become a foundation for broader development responsibilities.
From Project Manager to Executive
The transition from project management to corporate leadership was one of the defining developments of his career.
Managing a major building project requires attention to technical details, schedules, labor, materials, coordination, and construction methods.
Running a construction organization adds another layer: corporate strategy, finance, management, relationships, and business development.
Eicholtz’s career moved through both levels.
From Construction to Development
His move to Pankow in 1978 represented another important change.
Development required him to consider questions that began before construction even started:
- Where should a property be built?
- Can the land be assembled?
- What approvals are required?
- What will the market support?
- How should the project be financed?
- Which architects and engineers should be engaged?
- Where will investment capital come from?
- How should construction and development risk be managed?
His work on 10560 Wilshire provides a particularly clear example of these responsibilities.
The Importance of the Oral History
The 2009 Charles Pankow Legacy Project oral history is particularly valuable because it provides Eicholtz’s own account of his professional journey.
It adds context that is usually absent from celebrity biography pages.
Instead of simply listing job titles, the oral history describes how he approached projects, interacted with investors and professionals, and navigated major changes in the construction and development industry.
For anyone studying Eicholtz’s career, that source is arguably more informative than short biographical profiles that focus primarily on his marriage to Barbara Eden.
Frequently Asked Questions About Jon Eicholtz
Who is Jon Eicholtz?
Jon Eicholtz is an American construction executive, real-estate developer, and property investor. He studied architectural engineering at the University of Kansas and built a career in major construction and development projects. He is also widely known as the husband of actress Barbara Eden.
What did Jon Eicholtz do for a living?
Jon Eicholtz built his career in construction management, corporate leadership, real-estate development, and property investment. He worked on major projects including the approximately 1,800-room Sheraton Waikiki and later held senior leadership positions at Pacific Construction Company before moving into real-estate development.
When did Jon Eicholtz marry Barbara Eden?
Jon Eicholtz married actress Barbara Eden on January 5, 1991, in San Francisco. Their marriage followed Eicholtz’s earlier marriage to Jeanine Eicholtz, who died in 1984.
What is Jon Eicholtz’s net worth?
Jon Eicholtz’s exact net worth is not publicly verified. Various secondary websites publish estimates ranging from approximately $1 million to $20 million, but these figures are not supported by an authoritative financial disclosure and should therefore be treated as estimates rather than confirmed wealth.
What are Jon Eicholtz’s major achievements?
Eicholtz’s documented career includes serving as project manager during construction of Sheraton Waikiki, becoming president, CEO, and chairman of Pacific Construction Company, and contributing to major real-estate developments including 10560 Wilshire and Catalina Landing. In 2014, he and Barbara Eden also established a $300,000 acting scholarship at the University of Kansas.
Conclusion
Jon Eicholtz’s public identity is often introduced through his marriage to Barbara Eden, but his biography extends well beyond Hollywood.
His professional life began with architectural engineering at the University of Kansas, followed by major construction-management responsibilities, including work on the 1,800-room Sheraton Waikiki. He then moved into corporate leadership at Pacific Construction Company, eventually serving as president, CEO, and chairman.
His career took another significant turn in 1978, when he joined the Charles Pankow organization and entered real-estate development. Projects such as 10560 Wilshire and Catalina Landing illustrate the breadth of that work, while later investments with partners demonstrate his continued involvement in residential and commercial property.
His personal life includes two significant marriages documented in the public record: first to Jeanine Eicholtz, and later to Barbara Eden, whom he married in 1991.
Perhaps the clearest measure of the breadth of his life is the contrast between how he is commonly introduced and what the historical record reveals. He is known publicly as Barbara Eden’s husband, but his documented professional career is rooted in engineering, construction, corporate management, development, and real estate.
His philanthropic connection to the University of Kansas adds another dimension. The $300,000 acting scholarship established with Eden in 2014 connects his educational background with his wife’s profession and provides a lasting contribution to students pursuing careers in the performing arts.
The most reliable picture of Jon Eicholtz is therefore not a celebrity wealth profile or a collection of unverified personal statistics. It is the story of an American professional who moved through architectural engineering, major construction projects, executive leadership, real-estate development, investment, and philanthropy over the course of a long career.
