Marriott Associates "Think Ahead"

Not too long ago, I received a letter from one of our associates in Canada named Jen. She was born legally blind, but found Marriott to be a welcoming place to work, despite her disability. Throughout her life, Jen has had a total of thirty surgeries, including five on her...

Mapping Marriott's Global Footprint

When I’m on vacation, I love to walk along the beach and look back to see the footprints I’ve left in the sand. I know that companies can’t literally leave footprints, but all companies leave evidence of their activities. Marriott recently released its 2008-2009 Sustainability Report. It is a record...

We Are Always Listening

I’m often asked the question, “What’s the most important skill for great leadership?” And I always have the same answer - listening. In a service industry, you have to listen to your employees and your customers. Listening allows us all to learn what our guests are looking for in a...

Honesty Is the Best Policy

It happens to the best of us…you’re in a rush to check out and get out of your hotel and catch your flight, and when you finally get home, you realize you left something behind in your hotel room. This happened just a few weeks ago, at our SpringHill Suites...

Launching a Loyalty Program for Our Ritz-Carlton Customers

During my travels around the world, I am often asked by our hotel guests when The Ritz-Carlton hotels will have a loyalty program like Marriott Rewards. Well, I am pleased to tell you that we have just launched The Ritz-Carlton Rewards. This is more than just another points program. Like...

Serving New Orleans -- Commemorating the 5th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

Five years ago, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast and forever changed New Orleans. It was a tragic event that will be remembered for years to come. We all know there is still much to do, but New Orleans and its people are resilient and on their way back. Today...

Serving Those Who Serve Their Country

Having served in the United States Navy from 1954 – 1956, I have a great deal of respect and fondness for those who have, or are currently serving in our military. We often host many military groups in our hotels while they are on assignment or preparing to be deployed,...

Remembering My Dad 25 Years Later

It’s August 13, 2010, and I am standing on the front porch of our New Hampshire lakeside home. It was on this spot 25 years ago to the day that my father, J. Willard Marriott, Sr., had a heart attack and passed away. Almost all of my family and my...

Marriott Guests Can Give Back with New Voluntourism Package

The people and businesses along the Gulf Coast and New Orleans have sure endured a lot over the past five years -- between Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and now the oil spill -- but I want to focus on the resilience of that wonderful community. Earlier this summer, some of...

Honoring Marriott's Best

Just imagine what it would be like to be a concierge at a hotel in Mumbai, India, and find out that you’ve been selected from among 300,000 employees worldwide to fly to your company’s corporate headquarters, be greeted by a red carpet and applause from your colleagues, have a lunch...