David Marriott’s Post

The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation has teamed up with Marriott Bonvoy to donate $500,000 to World Central Kitchen (WCK).    Since 2010, my family and our company have been proud to support World Central Kitchen in its mission to provide meals for people in the wake of crises and natural disasters. We share a common goal to serve our world – a core value on which my grandparents founded the company more than 97 years ago.    Marriott International President and CEO Anthony Capuano joined WCK founder Chef José Andrés on his podcast, Longer Tables, to announce the donation and talk about our longstanding relationship with the nonprofit.    Thank you to the World Central Kitchen team for all you do to nourish people, uplift communities, and inspire hope.    #SocialImpact #Humanitarian 

On a trip to Canada earlier this year, I sat down with Stacey Newman for a comprehensive interview with STAY Magazine. Our conversation covered topics including Marriott’s innovation journey, the story of our founding, and how our company’s core values have sustained us for over 97 years. Click here to read the interview: https://marr.in/STAY   While in Toronto, I had the pleasure of attending the Canadian Hotel Investment Conference (CHIC) and joining Amanda Lang on the main stage for a fireside chat. At the conference, I was proud to present Don Cleary with the CHIC 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award and thank him for his 34 years of exemplary service to Marriott. Don retired from his role as President of Marriott Hotels of Canada earlier this year. Marriott’s presence in the region continues to grow, in large part, due of the dedication of leaders like Don.    No market tour would be complete without hotel visits. Two highlights were surprising a group of Marriott chefs participating in a Masters of the Craft regional competition at W Toronto – we made it just in time for the mixology session where the secret ingredient was ginger – and stopping by The Westin Harbour Castle, Toronto to catch the perfect view of the solar eclipse. Thank you to the teams for another memorable trip to Canada.    #MarriottInternational #Canada #Hospitality

Four destinations in four days — it was another whirlwind Marriott International market tour with Satya Anand.    Our first stop was the historic island of Malta, where we celebrated Malta Marriott Resort & Spa’s inauguration. The hotel opened in January 2020 and after enduring challenges brought on by the pandemic, the team has shown tremendous resilience, making the property one of the island’s leading resorts for both business and leisure travelers.    Satya and I also toured three iconic hotels in Madrid, including The Madrid EDITION, the city’s first luxury lifestyle urban resort. A highlight was meeting our hotel leaders from the Northern & Southern Spain Business Councils. Together, they are making a meaningful impact across the country by supporting initiatives like UNICEF’s Check Out for Children program.    Next, we traveled to Budapest to commemorate the opening of Dorothea Hotel, Budapest, Autograph Collection, which now joins over 300 Autograph Collection hotels in Marriott’s portfolio. In the brand’s tradition of “The Mark,” offering an experience unique to each hotel, The Dorothea features an herb wall that provides fresh ingredients for dishes served at their restaurants.    Our final stop was to celebrate the 95th anniversary of JW Marriott Grosvenor House London. A pillar of London’s famous Park Lane, the hotel is known for hosting many firsts, but this milestone event truly took the cake!    Thank you to the dedicated teams across all four destinations for the unforgettable experiences and wonderful hospitality.    #MarriottInternational #Hospitality #Travel 

At The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C., I went behind the scenes to help prepare classic sweets for our 2024 J. Willard Marriott Awards of Excellence (AOE) reception. I got the inside scoop on making two of my favorites, The Hot Shoppes root beer float and a chocolate chip cookie featured in the hotel’s Presidential Cookie program — where they highlight some Presidential favorites.    Putting my baking skills to the test, Pastry Chef Patricia SerryBurton showed me how to make delicious cookies following a recipe from the family of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy. Chef Patricia has served guests at The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C. for nearly 25 years and leads its Presidential Cookie program. I think the secret to the recipe is the use of chocolate chunks in addition to chocolate chips, and sea salt instead of Kosher salt.   Next, Director of Operations Gael Cruchet and I traded notes on the art of pouring the perfect root beer float. Gael spent most of his career as an executive chef at several Marriott properties and holds the title of French Master Chef from the Maître Cuisinier de France, one of the world’s most prestigious culinary associations. And yes, that ice cream was made in house, making the simple treat that much better. Our desserts put the cherry on top of a wonderful evening. The recipes are in the comments below — enjoy! #MarriottInternational #Service #FoodAndBeverage #Chef

At Marriott International, many refer to my dad as “Mr. Marriott,” but after recently receiving an honorary doctoral degree from Howard University, “Dr. Marriott” sounds good too!     Howard’s Class of 2024 is the largest in the university’s history with undergrads ranging from ages 18-83. The graduates demonstrated extraordinary resilience – spending the early years of their studies in a global pandemic. I was delighted to cheer them on at the commencement ceremony alongside my dad and his fellow honorees. While there were many proud parents in the audience, I played the role of very proud son.     This Doctor of Humane Letters degree commemorates my dad’s 66-year career at Marriott and recognizes his outstanding contributions to the community, particularly Washington, D.C., his hometown and the city of Marriott’s founding. A lodging innovator, he oversaw Marriott’s global growth and shifted our business from hotel ownership to property management and franchising – revolutionizing the hospitality industry we know today. From leading the corporate fundraising effort which helped build the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial on the National Mall to endowing $20 million through The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation to launch the Marriott-Sorenson Center for Hospitality Leadership at Howard’s School of Business, my dad has cemented his legacy as a champion of service and creator of opportunity for all.      I couldn’t be more proud of all he has accomplished throughout his lifetime, and I know he’s incredibly humbled to be a part of the Bison family — at 92 years old.    Special thanks to Howard’s president, Dr. Ben Vinson III, Chair of Howard’s Board of Trustees, Dr. Laurence C. Morse, and Vice Chair, Leslie D. Hale, a fellow hotel industry leader, for presenting my dad with this distinguished recognition. This is truly a milestone moment in my dad’s life and our family is so grateful.    Congratulations to the Class of 2024!    #MarriottInternational #HowardUniversity #ClassOf2024

Last week, I was delighted to emcee Marriott International’s annual J. Willard Marriott Awards of Excellence ceremony (AOE) with my big sister, Debbie – marking nearly ten years of hosting together. This occasion has always been near and dear to our family’s hearts and this year’s ceremony was especially meaningful because we got to celebrate the winners with our Uncle Dick and our dad, Marriott’s Chairman Emeritus, J.W. Marriott, Jr.       Dad was so moved by the stories our associates shared – stories of opportunity, hope, and belonging. More than once in their acceptance speeches, our honorees talked about feeling like they were part of a family at work. It doesn’t get better than that and we were all proud and humbled by their tributes to our culture. My dad hosted the first AOE ceremony on May 7, 1987. In his remarks, he shared how he wanted nominees to reflect the high standards set by my grandparents and that AOE winners were chosen because they embody the words inscribed on their medals: Achievement, Character, Dedication, Effort, and Perseverance. Thirty-seven years later, I’m proud to say our criteria has not changed and the tradition of excellence reflected in this year’s AOE winners is just as high today as it was in 1987.   Congratulations to our honorees and be sure to follow our Marriott International LinkedIn page to learn what makes each of our 2024 AOE winners so special. #MarriottInternational #MIExcellence #Culture 

On this day 97 years ago, my grandparents opened a nine-seat A&W root beer franchise in Washington, D.C.    J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott poured their hopes and dreams into the business, one mug of cold root beer at a time. They grew the business into The Hot Shoppes restaurant chain and then opened our first hotel in 1957. Now here we are, the Marriott International of today — nearly 8,900 hotels in 141 countries and territories.    They would be proud to know that Marriott associates around the world are carrying on the tradition of taking good care of guests, each other, and their communities.   Congratulations to everyone in our extended Marriott family and thank you for being part of our story.    #MarriottInternational 

Associates at Marriott International’s Customer Engagement Centers (CECs) deliver personalized care to guests across the globe and around the clock. Based out of 19 offices, from Omaha to Mexico City to Cork to Tokyo, these teams are equipped to provide support around the clock in 26 different languages.    Over 70 global CEC leaders recently visited our corporate headquarters to connect with one another, share best practices, and align on strategic priorities. During their visit, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Frid Edmond, who hosted the group for the first time since becoming Senior Vice President, CECs, last year. We talked about the importance of CECs and their impact on the business, how Marriott’s core values are part of our competitive advantage, my grandmother’s role in shaping the company, and root beer floats – a classic company favorite we both love.    When I led Global Sales, the CECs were part of the team and it was great to see colleagues I’ve known for years. Our CEC associates are focused on being good listeners and building trust – two areas that are critical in delivering great service to our guests.     Thank you – Gracias – Merci – Xièxiè – to our CECs around the world for all you do!    #MarriottInternational #CustomerEngagementCenters #Hospitality #PutPeopleFirst

Associate Appreciation Week (AAW) is one of my favorite times of the year. The week-long event celebrates associates from across Marriott International and expresses our heartfelt gratitude for all they do for our guests and each other. Throughout the week, we create opportunities to thank our fellow associates around the world and give back to the communities where we do business.     Perhaps what I'm looking forward to most is greeting associates during AAW as they enter Marriott HQ. My dad started this tradition years ago and it’s always a pleasure to personally thank the people who are at the heart of our company.     This week, we are also honoring our 2024 J. Willard Marriott Awards of Excellence (AOE) winners. These associates reflect the best of our service culture and core values and I’m looking forward to celebrating their tremendous accomplishments — stay tuned for more updates about our AOE winners.    #MarriottInternational #MIExcellence #Culture #AAW2024

As we celebrate Mother’s Day on Sunday, I wanted to share a heartfelt thanks to my always lovely mom, Donna. My parents got married in 1955 and I was the youngest of four children. Our family has grown to include 15 grandchildren and, last time I counted, 33 great-grandchildren! Keeping track of the birthdays and milestones is a full-time job in our family. My mom was by my dad’s side as he grew to be CEO and Chairman of Marriott International. She created a nurturing home and supported our family behind the scenes. She was hands on, driving us around, making meals, and cheering us on from the sidelines at sporting events and activities. My mom taught me to be patient and to have great faith. She has always believed in her children and in their abilities to make a difference in the world. One thing I’ve learned from both my parents is that even though I often travel for work, I always try to show up and be present for my family and work as a "team of two" with my amazing wife, Carrie. Happy Mother’s Day to my mom, to Carrie, and to all the wonderful mothers out there. I hope you enjoy the weekend! #MothersDay #Family