The annual CIO award recognizes the top 100 companies around the world that exemplify a strong technological background and organizational excellence in a particular area of business.  Wyndham has led the U.S. hotel industry with its commitment to add value to the customer experience through technological advances that positively impact every aspect of a guest's hotel stay. 

"Wyndham is dedicated to fast-track innovation.  By breaking away from the traditional rules of technological advancement and streamlining our development efforts, we can now more effectively meet the needs of our tech-savvy customers," says Mark Hedley, senior vice president and chief technological officer, Wyndham International, in the August 15th issue of CIO magazine.  "With the development of wireless services, our customers have the technology to book their own rooms, manage their personal accounts and access their Wyndham ByRequest profile in the palm of their hand.  Being swift to market Wyndham's new wireless services was key to going above and beyond what our competitors were offering."  

By successfully integrating technology with a comprehensive guest recognition program, Wyndham has enabled its guests to achieve a more customized hotel experience through the Wyndham ByRequest program. 

This sophisticated proprietary technology allows guests to fill out an online personal profile by visiting the Wyndham Web site or calling the Wyndham ByRequest member line.  It also tracks personal profiles of all ByRequest members through a customer information network, and allows guests to update their personal profiles via the secure Wyndham Web page, wireless personal digital assistants (PDAs) or Web-enabled cell phones.  Additional Wyndham technological advancements include a wireless reservation system featuring curbside check-in and check out, as well as in-room high-speed Internet access. 

"Wyndham combines its brand philosophy of listening to individual guests' needs and providing them with correlating products and services, with a superior technological platform," said Fred J. Kleisner, chairman and chief executive officer for Wyndham.  "Whether it is in-room high-speed Internet access, online booking capabilities or even Web-enabled cell phone reservations, we pride ourselves on delivering to our guests.  Wyndham also has the unusual advantage of owning the majority of its hotels, ensuring that we deliver consistent standards, products and services across all properties.  This gives us a level of control that many hotel chains simply do not have, and makes it possible for us to successfully carry out our innovative initiatives chain wide.  We are very pleased to be recognized by CIO magazine for our efforts."

"In order to survive in a competitive business world, companies rely on innovative ideas....honorees of this year's CIO-100 have done just that and are being recognized for their ingenuity and success," says Abbie Lundberg, editor in chief, CIO magazine.  

Wyndham International, Inc. offers upscale and luxury hotel and resort accommodations through proprietary lodging brands and a management services division. Based in Dallas, Wyndham International owns, leases, manages and franchises hotels and resorts in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Europe. 

CIO magazine (Launched in 1987) is published by CXO Media Inc. CXO Media serves CIO's, CEO',s, CFO's, COO's and other corporate officers who use technology to thrive and prosper in this new era of business. CXO Media Inc. is a subsidiary of IDG.