Marriott International, Inc. is a leading worldwide hospitality company. Its heritage can be traced to a small root beer stand opened in Washington, D.C. in 1927 by J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott. Today it has over 3000 lodging properties in the United States and 66 other countries and territories across 17 lodging and vacation resort ownership brands. The company is headquartered in Bethesda, Md., and had approximately 151,000 employees at 2007 year-end. It is ranked as the lodging industry's most admired company and one of the best places to work for by FORTUNE(R). The company has also been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with the 2007 Sustained Excellence Award and Partner of the Year since 2004. In fiscal year 2007, Marriott International reported sales from continuing operations of $13 billion.

Marriott International's goal is to create significant value by aggressively building its brands and growing its businesses. The company is dedicated to providing exceptional service to customers, growth opportunities for associates, and attractive returns to shareholders and owners.