J.W. (Bill) Marriott
Executive Chairman, Marriott International
Arne Sorenson
CEO, Marriott International
After running the family hotel chain for 40 years, Marriott kicked himself upstairs three years ago and appointed Sorenson to run the company as its first chief executive officer to not have Marriott as his surname. After its acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International grew to 6,000 hotels in 122 countries, totaling 1.1 million rooms and employing 350,000 people. The company’s biggest challenge his year was deciding where to relocate its new corporate headquarters after decades on Bethesda’s Fernwood Road. The company had said from the start that it would stay in the Washington area and the final choice was to remain in Montgomery County. Its new $600 million campus at 7500 Wisconsin Avenue will include a 22-story office tower and naturally, a Marriott hotel.
