John Willard "Bill" Marriott Jr. (born March 25, 1932) is an American billionaire businessman who is the executive chairman of Marriott International, of which he owns 11.28%.[1]
Bill Marriott | |
|---|---|
 Marriott in 1998 | |
| Born | John Willard Marriott March 25, 1932 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Education | University of Utah (BS) (1954) |
| Occupation | Executive chairman of Marriott International |
Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Donna Garff (d. 2025) |
| Children | 4 |
| Parents |
|
| Website | www |
| Notes | |
Early life and education
editMarriott was born in Washington, D.C., the son of Alice Marriott and J. Willard Marriott, the founder of Marriott Corporation. He attended St. Albans School in Washington, D.C.[2] He is also an Eagle Scout and recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award.
In 1954, Marriott earned a BS in finance from the University of Utah. While there he met his wife, the daughter of a professor.[3]
Upon graduating, Marriott went to a Navy training school in Georgia.[3]
In June 1955, Marriott was married at the Salt Lake Temple in Salt Lake City.[3]
Career
editMarriott joined Marriott Corporation in 1956. He pushed his father, who was wary of taking on debt after experiencing the Great Depression, to expand from the restaurant business into the hotel business.[3]
Marriott was elected executive vice president and member of the board of directors in January 1964,[3] president of the company in November 1964, chief executive officer in 1972, and chairman of the board in 1985. He introduced the practice of revenue management to the hotel industry.[4]
Effective March 31, 2012, Marriott assumed the role of executive chairman of the company and relinquished the role of chief executive officer to Arne Sorenson.[5]
Awards
editIn 2001, Marriott was named The Industry Leader of The Year by Broad College of Business, Michigan State University.[6]
On May 4, 2006, Marriott received an honorary doctorate of humanities from Weber State University and delivered the commencement speech.[7]
On June 2, 2009, Marriott received the Icon of the Industry award from Cornell University School of Hotel Administration.[8]
On November 19, 2016, Ernst & Young named Marriott the National/Overall Entrepreneur of the Year.[9]
In 2018, Marriott received the Distinguished Service Award by the National Maritime Historical Society.[10]
Personal life
editMarriott was married 70 years to Donna Garff, who died in 2025. They had four children—all of whom work for Marriott International.[11]
In 2018, Bill's son John Marriott III sued both him and his uncle, Richard Marriott, for allegedly cutting John out of the family fortune, in part for divorcing his wife without approval of his father. The lawsuit was settled out of court.[12]
Bibliography
edit- Without Reservations: How a Family Root Beer Stand Grew into a Global Hotel Company Luxury Custom Publishing LLC, May 1, 2013
References
edit- 1 2 "SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
- ↑ Bryant, Adam (May 26, 2013). "Corner Office: J.W. Marriott Jr". The New York Times.
- 1 2 3 4 5 RICH, CINDY (April 1, 2007). "Growing Up Marriott". Washingtonian.
- ↑ Cross, Robert G. (1997). Revenue Management: Hard-core Tactics for Market Domination. Broadway Books. ISBN 9780553067347.
- ↑ Rosenwald, Michael S. (December 13, 2011). "Marriott CEO J.W. Marriott Jr. to step down". The Washington Post.
- ↑ The Legacy of the Leader, (2002). East Lansing, MI: The School of Hospitality Business Alumni Association. ISBN 0-9719359-0-4
- ↑ Blair, William G. (August 15, 1985). "J. William Marriott is dead at 84; built hotel and restaurant chain". The New York Times.
- ↑ "Hotel School to honor J.W. Marriott Jr". Cornell Chronicle. April 20, 2009.
- ↑ "Hospitality Industry Icon, Bill Marriott, Named Ernst & Young 2016 U.S. Entrepreneur of the Year". Marriott International. November 21, 2016.
- ↑ "Award Recipients". National Maritime Historical Society .
- ↑ "Meet Our Founders". Marriott International.
- ↑ KASHINO, MARISA M. (January 10, 2018). "The Marriott Family's Civil War". Washingtonian.