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Prepared By R.R. Donnelley Financial -- Form 8-K
 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
Form 8-K
 
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
 
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  12/13/2011
 
Marriott International, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
 
Commission File Number:  1-13881
 
Delaware
  
52-2055918
(State or other jurisdiction of
  
(IRS Employer
incorporation)
  
Identification No.)
 
10400 Fernwood Road
Bethesda, MD 20817
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
 
301-380-3000
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
 
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
 
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
[  ]   Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

[  ]   Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

[  ]   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[  ]   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
 

 
Item 5.02.    Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers
 
On December 13, 2011, the Board of Directors (the "Board") of Marriott International, Inc. (the "Company"), upon recommendation of the Board's Compensation Policy Committee, made the following executive officer appointments, effective March 31, 2012:

    1)        J.W. Marriott, Jr. will remain Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company, serving as the Company's Executive Chairman, and will no longer serve as the Company's Chief Executive Officer;

    2)        Arne M. Sorenson will become the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer and will no longer serve as the Company's Chief Operating Officer; and

    3)        Robert J. McCarthy, the Company's current Group President, will become Chief Operations Officer.

Biographical and other information on Messrs. Marriott, Sorenson and McCarthy is set forth below:

Mr. Marriott, age 79, has been Chief Executive Officer of the Company and its predecessors since 1972, and Chairman of the Board since 1985. He joined the Company's predecessor in 1956, and became President and a Director in 1964. Mr. Marriott serves on the Board of The J. Willard & Alice S. Marriott Foundation. He is a member of the National Business Council and the Executive Committee of the World Travel & Tourism Council. He is the father of John W. Marriott III, the non-employee Vice Chairman of the Company's Board of Directors.

Mr. Sorenson, age 53, joined Marriott in 1996 as Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel. He was appointed Senior Vice President of Business Development later that year. Mr. Sorenson was appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in 1998 and assumed the additional title of President, Continental European Lodging, in January 2003. In May 2009, Mr. Sorenson was named President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company. Prior to joining Marriott, he was a Partner in the law firm of Latham & Watkins in Washington, D.C., where he played a key role in 1992 and 1993 in the distribution of Old Marriott International, Inc. by Marriott Corporation. Mr. Sorenson serves on the Board of Regents of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Mr. Sorenson became a member of the Company's Board of Directors on February 11, 2011.

Mr. McCarthy, age 58, currently serves as the Company's Group President and has overall responsibility for the financial management and leadership of over 3,000 hotels in the Americas spanning multiple lodging brands, and a work force of 120,000 associates. In addition, Mr. McCarthy oversees The Ritz-Carlton, as well as staff support services to the Company's continental organizations around the globe in sales, revenue management, marketing, brand management, and operations. He chairs the Company's Lodging Strategy Group. Mr. McCarthy is a member of the Dean's Advisory Board at both the Villanova University School of Business and the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration. He serves as a board member of the Autism Learning Center as well as the ServiceSource Foundation, an organization supporting people with disabilities.

A copy of the press release announcing the appointments of Messrs. Marriott, Sorenson and McCarthy is filed as Exhibit 99.1.

 
 
Item 9.01.    Financial Statements and Exhibits
 
(d) Exhibits. The following exhibit is filed with this report:

Exhibit 99.1 - Press release issued on December 13, 2011.

 

 

SIGNATURES
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
 
           
Marriott International, Inc.
 
 
Date: December 14, 2011
     
By:
 
/s/    
               
Carl T. Berquist
               
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
 
 

 

EXHIBIT INDEX
 
Exhibit No.
  
Description
EX-99.1
  
Press release dated December 13, 2011.
Marriott Corporate Letterhead Template

 

Exhibit 99.1

Marriott International, Inc.

Corporate Headquarters

[Marriott logo]

NEWS

Contact: Tom Marder, (301) 380-2553, thomas.marder@marriott.com

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL ON THE MOVE NEARING 85TH ANNIVERSARY;

BILL MARRIOTT ELECTED EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, ARNE SORENSON NAMED CEO


BETHESDA, Md, December 13, 2011 - Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) today is on the move as it approaches its 85th anniversary in 2012, with its board of directors making several key leadership appointments.

The board elected J.W. Marriott, Jr., currently chairman of the board and chief executive officer, as executive chairman and chairman of the board, and named Arne Sorenson, currently president and chief operating officer, as president and chief executive officer. He will be the third CEO in the company's history. The board also appointed Robert McCarthy, currently group president for the company, as Marriott International's chief operations officer. All three appointments are effective March 31, 2012.

Making the announcement today, Mr. Marriott said, "As we approach the 85th birthday of our company in 2012 and I proudly celebrate my 60th year of service, I decided to recommend to the board that Arne Sorenson take over the CEO responsibilities. I have been so fortunate to have worked with some of the most talented people in the world over the past six decades. It's amazing to me what we have accomplished over the years together, from a small root beer stand in Washington, D.C. to a global lodging powerhouse with operations in more than 70 countries.


"Looking forward, one of my most important responsibilities is to work with our board of directors to ensure that we are best positioned to succeed in the future. As executive chairman, in addition to my ongoing role as chairman of the board, I will continue to share my experience with our senior management team as we pursue our paths of growth and face the cyclical events I have confronted so many times in my career. My energies will also be directed at continuing to reinforce the timeless core values that have been the bedrock of our success and to being a company ambassador as we build opportunity around the world.

"To achieve that growth, the right leadership is critical. That's why I am enormously pleased that Arne will become CEO. I can say that there is no one more deserving or capable of assuming this role at such an important point in our company's history. Arne knows the business, lives our core values, and has earned the respect and admiration of all of our company's major stakeholders. As Arne takes over the day-to-day reins of the company, he does so with my utmost confidence.


"Having personally recruited Arne to Marriott in 1996, I know that his success is related not only to his extraordinary talent, but is also due to his commitment to hard work, team play, and drive for results. His path through our company included roles as chief financial officer, later adding oversight of European operations, before being appointed in 2009 as president and chief operating officer. As his mentor and friend, I could not be more pleased, for him or for our company," said Mr. Marriott.


Arne Sorenson said, "I am grateful to Bill Marriott and the board for their confidence, and I am tremendously optimistic about the future of our company, which continues to benefit from Mr. Marriott's wise, visionary and steady leadership. With deeply embedded core values that have enabled us to succeed for 85 years, I am looking forward to an exciting road ahead for Marriott International."


Discussing Robert McCarthy's appointment, Mr. Marriott said, "I am also very pleased to announce that Bob has been promoted to chief operations officer. In this role, Bob will continue to have oversight for our Global Lodging Services division and for our Ritz-Carlton brand. In addition, the presidents of our four continental operating divisions will have co-reporting relationships to Bob along with their primary reporting responsibilities to Arne as chief executive officer.

"As a 35-year veteran of the company, Bob McCarthy has made significant contributions to our growth and performance and has distinguished himself with his business leadership and stewardship of our company culture. His career, which began as a Marriott restaurant waiter, is a tribute to the opportunity that is possible at Marriott.


"Looking ahead, I have never been more confident about our company and its future. Our culture of service is as strong as ever and we continue to open doors to opportunity throughout the world," said Mr. Marriott. [Read more in Bill Marriott's blog at http://www.blogs.marriott.com/.]

For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.

IRPR#1