When the Storms Come

Aidan (pictured above), a banquet server at one of our properties in Naples, Florida, was home with his family when Hurricane Irma struck the city in October 2017. He watched in disbelief as 145-mile-an-hour winds struck his house, ripping off shingles and causing a tree and multiple tree limbs to...

A Five-Star Review

Forbes placed Marriott International on its The World’s Most Innovative Companies list in June of this year. What an honor to be recognized. Since my parents started the company in 1927, we’ve never been afraid to take chances and try new things. Just in the last year, we’ve partnered with...

Promoting Women Chefs

Bill Marriott, Arne Sorenson, and chefs Thais Rodriguez, Lara Brown, Paula DaSilva, Jennifer OBrien, Laura Bartholomew, and Ilkay Suuctugu Every quarter, the Marriott International Food and Beverage team pulls together a “taste” panel with some of our top chefs and senior management. It’s sort of a “Chopped” without the judges,...

Lifelong Friendships Forged at Marriott’s Great America

This may come as news to some, but for many years, Marriott International owned and operated two amusement parks, one in California and one in Illinois. We named the parks Marriott's Great America and they were proud tributes to all that is great about this country. They were also, I...

Celebrating Independence Day

J. W. "Bill" Marriott Jr. (ca. 1954) Today, as we come together with family and friends to celebrate our Nation’s independence, I find myself reflecting on the visionary leadership that was displayed during the Revolutionary War more than two centuries ago. Against almost impossible odds, George Washington led the Continental...

Breaking Ground on the Next Marriott Chapter

Marriott International broke ground recently on its new global corporate headquarters in downtown Bethesda, MD. As I stood there at the ceremony with a hard hat and shovel, I couldn’t help but marvel. Look how far we’ve come! When my parents, J. Willard and Alice Marriott, started the company in...

A TakeCare Story: Nura Sakati Mendez

Every so often I get a letter from a customer or an associate that really touches me because of their positive feelings toward Marriott International and our culture. Since my father founded this company, our most important and enduring principle has never changed: If you take care of your associates,...

A Celebration of Associates, Our Family

All Awards of Excellence Honorees on Stage (May 2018) I’m probably biased, but I really believe that our organization is one big family. That’s why my heart was warmed when I recently met Jackie Ford, executive assistant at the College Park Marriott in Maryland. She told me Marriott is where...

The Top Three Things I Look for When Visiting a Hotel

It probably goes without saying, but I have visited thousands of hotels. Just this past year, I have seen over 100—and that’s a drop in the bucket compared to my younger days. Touring properties is a passion of mine, not an obligation. I’m often my happiest when I’m at a...

A Tradition Worth Celebrating

This year we recognize nine associates and four hotels who consistently go above and beyond for our guests and associates. I could write at length about each one, but I’ll highlight just a few here.