Eckert started a 23-year career with Kraft Foods in 1977, rising to president and chief executive officer (CEO) in October 1997.[3]
In 2000, Eckert joined Mattel as chairman and CEO,[3][4] and remained as CEO until December 2011.[3] He retired at the end of 2011, and was succeeded by Bryan G. Stockton who had been chief operating officer[5] and chairman until December 2012.[6]
In 2004, under Eckert's leadership, Mattel began a seven-year legal war against tiny, California-based MGA Entertainment. In a surprise defeat, a jury decided that MGA Entertainment was the rightful owner of the once-billion dollar line of Bratz dolls. A BMO Capital Markets analyst said the failure to settle will go down as a “tremendously bad decision” by Mattel management. “It means they wasted $400 million or so of shareholder money to get zero return,” he said.[7]
Eckert was married to Kathie, and they had four children.[8] In June 2017, Eckert and his wife sold their Park Tower condominium for a little over $2.92 million.[9]
On June 1, 2019, Eckert married Lisa Marie Bongiovanni, a former Mattel communications executive.[10]
