Bill Marriott stepped down as CEO of what is now the largest hotel company in the world in 2012. In his 40 years at the helm, he expanded the Marriott brand nationally and introduced the revenue management method to the hotel industry.
At the urging of bondholders, Host Hotels & Resorts was spun off from Marriott International in 1993, and Bill’s younger brother, Dick, has run it ever since. Host is the world’s largest hotel REIT. The two still serve as executive chairman and chairman of Marriott Hotels and Host Hotels. The Marriott family as a whole is worth $6.9B.
Last year, Marriott Hotels & Resorts pulled off the largest hotel merger ever, acquiring Starwood Hotels & Resorts for $12.2B, giving it the most hotel rooms of any brand in the world. — Scott Klocksin
