The new members of the Horseshoe Bay Resort Marriott Hotel team bring a breadth of experience from the hotel and management industry. �We are elated with these appointments, and believe the addition of these talented individuals to our team will enable Marriott�s first resort in Texas to surpass our customers� expectations, with the Marriott standards of excellence," says Paynter. "Together, their combined knowledge and expertise will help us create the best resort in Texas and offer people throughout the nation a unique destination experience. Or as we like to call, an untapped secret in the Texas Hill Country.�

Ron Paynter, General Manager

Ron Paynter will serve as General Manager of the new Horseshoe Bay Resort Marriott Hotel. Since first taking the helm of the original Austin Marriott in 1980, Paynter has been a valued participant in Austin�s hospitality and civic communities.  Initially joining Marriott in 1970 after receiving his B.B.A. in Marketing from the University of Georgia, Paynter has held numerous sales and marketing positions with Marriott hotels in Atlanta, Chicago, and the Washington, D.C. area.  Paynter is a past president of the Chicago Sales & Marketing Association, and has held Board positions with the Austin Chamber of Commerce, Austin Downtown Alliance, Better Business Bureau, Historic Paramount Theatre, Austin Country Club and Texas Society of Association Executives (TSAE). 

Joe Reardon, Director of Sales & Marketing

As Director of Sales & Marketing for the new hotel, Joe Reardon will oversee all aspects of sales and marketing, including advertising and media relations. Reardon began working with Marriott in 1992 as sales manager for the Residence Inn in Montgomery, Ala. The greater portion of his 12-year Marriott career has included sales, front office and general manager positions for Residence Inn hotels throughout the Southeast.  Reardon�s honors include the Marriott Global Sales Achievement Award, the Director of Sales & Marketing Super Star Award, and the Marriott General Manager President�s Cup Award.   He is a member of TSAE, and has served as co-chair for Marriott Golf for Kids, which raised over $30k in 2003 for Austin Children's Hospital. 

Rodolfo Guzman, Director of Engineering

Rodolfo �Rudy� Guzman has been a Marriott asset for 25 years, working at Marriott properties in Santa Clara, California, Houston, Texas and Dayton, Ohio.  His expertise was also utilized in the opening of Marriott�s Cancun property. 

Mary Beth Drobny, Director of Event Management

As Director of Event Management, Drobny oversees the Banquet, Event Services and Audio Visual Departments. She is responsible for executing all hotel events with a seamless turnover from Sales to Operations while ensuring the team meets and exceeds customers� expectations. Drobny has been with Marriott since August 1986. In 2003 Drobny was named �Director of Event Management of the Year� in the South Central Region. She graduated from Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, IA with a BA in Business Administration. 

Jason Polland, Director of Food & Beverage

In his current role as Food and Beverage Director for Horseshoe Bay Resort Marriott Hotel, Polland will oversee all Food and Beverage operations.  His role, as well as his team�s role will be to create a unique service and dining experience for all guests.  Polland�s career with Marriott began in May 1989 when he joined the Albuquerque Marriott as a banquet server and quickly moved up to banquet captain.  Since then he has held many positions, most recently as the Food and Beverage Director at the Denver West Marriott Hotel in Golden, Colorado. 

Alexis Powell, Director of Human Resources

Alexis has called Marriott home for 19 years.  She started out as HR Supervisor at the Dallas Airport Marriott and was not only the HR Supervisor at the Atlanta Northwest Marriott, but also the Area Recruiter.  She then became HR Manager for the Orlando Call Center, MVCI and MCVI Regional Office.  She has held the position of Director of HR for the Fort Collins Marriott, the Kansas City Airport Marriott, the Vail Mountain Resort and in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 

Lisa Guest, Director of Room Operations

Lisa Guest, Director of Room Operations for the new Horseshoe Bay Resort Marriott Hotel, will ensure the Room Operations team strives to meet customers� needs and exceed their expectations, both in service as well as product. Her main areas of focus include Front Office, Business Center, Recreation/Fitness Center & Housekeeping.  Guest began her Marriott career with the Courtyard brand in San Antonio, Texas in November 1991 and moved on to become Front Desk Manager at Addison Midway Courtyard. Guest graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a Bachelor's Degree in Hotel & Restaurant Management. 

Jon Heneke, Director of Finance & Accounting

Jon Heneke, a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, began his Marriott career as Assistant Controller at the Austin Marriott at the Capitol in January 1999.  Shortly thereafter, he moved to San Antonio and progressed to Senior Assistant Controller, then Director of Finance and Accounting.  Jon is the back-to-back recipient of three �Heart of the House Manager of the Year� Awards and has won the Marriott South Central Region �Market Dominance Award for Financial Excellence� twice. 

The first-ever Marriott Resort in Texas is scheduled to open in October 2004. Located in the heart of the breathtaking Texas Hill Country, the brand new Horseshoe Bay Resort Marriott Hotel serves as a luxurious resort, ideal for vacations and wedding destinations. It also boasts an impressive 22,000 square feet of exquisitely appointed meeting space, all of which is conveniently located on one floor to maximize meeting efficiency and attendance.  The resort also features three Robert Trent Jones, Sr. championship courses, one of the largest golf complexes in the continental United States. 

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC. (NYSE:MAR) is a leading lodging company with nearly 2,800 lodging properties in the United States and 69 other countries and territories.