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Marriott International President and CEO Arne Sorenson has been diagnosed with stage 2 pancreatic cancer.
The hotel giant, based in Bethesda, Maryland, announced the diagnosis Friday and said Sorenson plans to remain at the helm of Marriott while he undergoes treatment.
Sorenson plans to begin treatment next week and is expected to undergo surgery later this year. He was diagnosed by a medical team at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.
“The cancer was discovered early," Sorenson said in a statement. "It does not appear to have spread and the medical team — and I — are confident that we can realistically aim for a complete cure. In the meantime, I intend to continue working at the company I love. Let me make one request, look ahead with me. We have great work underway at Marriott. I am as excited by what we can accomplish together as I have ever been.”
Sorenson, 60, began working at Marriott in 1996 and took over as president and CEO in 2012, the first person outside the Marriott family to serve in the company's top role.
He has helped build it into one of the world's largest hospitality companies, now with a market value of $47B. He also oversaw Marriott's decision to keep its headquarters in Montgomery County and move to a new Downtown Bethesda high-rise, currently under construction.
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