BETHESDA, Md., Feb. 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The J. Willard
and Alice S. Marriott Foundation together with Howard University announced today the establishment
of the Marriott-Sorenson Center for Hospitality Leadership in honor
of Marriott International's (NASDAQ: MAR) beloved president and
CEO, Arne Sorenson, who tragically
passed away last week from pancreatic cancer. The J. Willard and
Alice S. Marriott Foundation will provide a $20 million endowment to launch the Center at
Howard University, one of the nation's
leading historically Black colleges and universities.
In addition, Marriott International announced the creation of
the Arne M. Sorenson Hospitality Fund which will support the
critical programmatic and career development elements of the
Center. This Fund is dedicated to helping the industry build
leadership talent in hospitality. Marriott has pledged the first
donation of $1 million and
is inviting other companies, organizations and
individuals – from all industries – to support this
effort.
The Marriott-Sorenson Center for Hospitality Leadership, which
will be housed in Howard University's
School of Business, will feature a best-in-class program that
expands educational and professional opportunities for Howard
students and aims to develop future executives in the hospitality
industry.
"I can think of no better tribute to the amazing legacy of
Arne Sorenson than to focus on
educating and advancing future leaders of the hospitality
industry," said J.W. "Bill" Marriott, Jr., Executive Chairman and
Chairman of the Board, Marriott International. "Arne's passion for
creating a culture of opportunity brought real change in the
executive ranks of our company. But work remains to be done. Our
industry needs a pipeline of diverse leadership talent and that's
exactly what this Center will achieve. We are proud to bring
Marriott International and our
family foundation together to partner
with this esteemed university in the city of our
founding. This innovative program will foster leadership excellence
and help drive greater inclusion at the most
senior levels of the hospitality industry. We hope
that other hospitality companies will join us
in designing the program and providing experiential
opportunities to generate talent that will meet the needs of the
industry well into the future."
"Now is the opportune time to launch this work," said
Mieka Wick, Executive Director, The
J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation. "The hospitality
industry is evolving in new and exciting ways and there is a clear
need for a forward-looking program designed to prepare leaders for
this dynamic environment. A deeper commitment to diversity, equity
and inclusion is imperative, not only because it is the right thing
to do but because it is also good for the
industry. The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation has
a long-standing commitment to creating opportunity for all in the
hospitality industry. Howard
University, one of the nation's finest historically Black
colleges and universities, is ideally suited to partner
with us, given the extraordinary students it serves."
"Lack of diversity in the executive ranks of companies across
America has long been a headline and has been further elevated in
the national conversation as we are in this important moment of
racial reckoning," said Dr. Wayne A. I.
Frederick, President, Howard
University. "Through this partnership with The J. Willard
and Alice S. Marriott Foundation and Marriott International, we are
best positioned to further our existing commitment and address this
most pressing issue. As I have gotten to know the Marriott family
over the years, I have been impressed with their commitment to the
community and excellence. This program will be a game changer for
Howard University students and the
hospitality industry by designing unique educational opportunities
that meet the future demands of the industry, shaping the already
promising talents and passions of our business students, and
connecting those students with meaningful careers in the industry.
What we are creating is a direct connection between an industry
that is on the edge of change and a top caliber talent pool for
them to recruit from," Dr. Frederick said.
World-class Hospitality Curriculum
Today's announcement establishes the Marriott-Sorenson Center
for Hospitality Leadership as well as the Arne M. Sorenson
Hospitality Fund, which will support the programmatic and career
development elements of the Center. The experiential components of
this new program, including access to top hospitality executives
and industry leaders for Howard students, will make this curriculum
appealing and unique. The Marriott family foundation and
Howard University will work together to
form a hospitality industry advisory council to design a program
that will draw on the university's ideal location in the geographic
heart of the hospitality industry—Greater Washington, D.C.—where
Marriott and many other hospitality companies are headquartered. In
addition to advising on the development of a world-class
hospitality curriculum, the Center's advisory council members will
serve as guest lecturers and mentors and provide hands-on learning
opportunities for students. The council will include
representatives from Howard, the
Marriott family foundation and Marriott International as well as
corporate hospitality executives, industry practitioners,
association leaders and academics who together will develop a
hospitality program focused on traditional and experiential
learning opportunities. The goal will be to expose students to the
hospitality industry through a management lens.
To learn more about the Marriott-Sorenson Center for Hospitality
Leadership and the Arne M. Sorenson Hospitality Fund, or to make a
donation, please visit www.howard.edu/sorensonfund. To make a major
gift, please contact: Dawn
Ridley, Assistant Vice President, Institutional Giving via
phone or email at (202) 238-2350
or Dawn.Ridley@howard.edu.
About Arne
Sorenson
Arne M.
Sorenson was President and Chief Executive Officer of
Marriott International, Inc., from 2012 until his passing in
February 2021. In his role, he
presided over the world's largest hospitality company and some of
the most iconic brands in travel. Mr. Sorenson built his tenure on
the bedrock of Marriott International's core values: putting people
first, pursuing excellence, acting with integrity, embracing change
and serving our world.
Mr. Sorenson led the acquisition of Starwood Hotels &
Resorts Worldwide in 2016, resulting in a dramatic expansion of
Marriott's ability to provide unparalleled guest experiences around
the world. The company now has more than 7,600 properties across
133 countries and territories and 30 brands. The merger also
created the travel industry's largest customer-loyalty program,
Marriott Bonvoy, which has more than 147 million members.
An outspoken corporate leader, Mr. Sorenson advocated for
environmental sustainability, human rights, and diversity, equity
and inclusion. Under his leadership, Marriott International was
recognized extensively, including by Fortune in 2020 as one of the
World's Most Admired Companies and DiversityInc as one of the Top
50 Companies for Diversity. In 2019, Mr. Sorenson was named CEO of
the Year by Chief Executive magazine and was placed on Forbes' list
of America's Most Innovative Leaders and Barron's list of the
World's Best CEOs.
About Marriott International
Marriott International,
Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda,
Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of more than
7,600 properties under 30 leading brands spanning 133 countries and
territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses
vacation ownership resorts all around the world. The company offers
Marriott Bonvoy™, its highly– awarded travel program.
For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com,
and for the latest company news, visit
www.marriottnewscenter.com.
About Howard
University
Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university
that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue more
than 140 programs of study leading to undergraduate, graduate and
professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to
Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced one Schwarzman
Scholar, three Marshall Scholars, four Rhodes Scholars, 11 Truman
Scholars, 25 Pickering Fellows and more than 165 Fulbright
recipients. Howard also produces more on-campus African
American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on
Howard University visit
www.howard.edu.
About The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott
Foundation
The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation
works to create access and expand opportunities in communities by
partnering with non-profit organizations committed to solving
today's challenges and improving the lives of others in service of
vibrant and thriving communities. Founded in 1966, the Foundation
invests to strengthen the vitality of the Washington, D.C. community and surrounding
region, advance disease-specific therapeutics and mental health
initiatives, and promote career preparedness, with a focus in the
hospitality industry. The Foundation embraces collaborative
relationships with its partners across industries and sectors to
drive the greatest impact. Active engagement as a leader and
collaborator in the community, both listening to the community's
voice and promoting their interests, is a long-held, valued
practice of the Marriott family and the Foundation. To learn more
about The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation, please
visit https://www.marriottfoundation.org/
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SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.