Seibert is replacing Peter Schall, who is retiring after an exceptional 40-year run with Hilton. Schall joined Hilton in 1965 and worked throughout the U.S. in a number of capacities, including general manager positions at the Hilton Seattle Airport and Hilton Pasadena. In 1986, he became general manager of the 2,860-room Hilton Hawaiian Village, the largest hotel in the Hilton chain. He was promoted to vice president and managing director for Hawaii in 2000 and senior vice president, Hawaii Region, and managing director of Hilton Hawaiian Village in 2001. While at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, he oversaw the $100 million architectural renewal of the property, which took more than two years and was final in 1988. More recently, Schall further re-positioned the resort with the addition of the Kalia Tower, which features 315 guest rooms, 66 one-bedroom vacation suites, and six studios for vacation ownership; an executive conference center; the world-class Mandara Spa (independently owned and operated); and the Bishop Museum Collection at the Hawaiian Arts and Culture Center.

Schall has played an influential role in shaping the hospitality industry in Hawaii as a member of many civic and charitable organizations, including serving on the Boards of Directors of the Hawaii Visitors and Conventions Bureau, the Aloha Festival, the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, the Friends of Hawaii Charities, and as an Executive Committee member and Past Chairman of the Waikiki Improvement Association. Schall will continue in his current capacity with Hilton through July 2005.

"In his 32 years at Hilton, Gary Seibert has earned a first-rate reputation not only for his professional contributions to the company, but also as a dedicated community leader, a vocal proponent of workplace diversity, and one of the industry's top authorities on hospitality, tourism and hotel operations. We wish Gary and his wife Kathryn much luck and success in their move to Hawaii," said Ernest Wooden, Jr., senior vice president, Hilton/Doubletree Operations for the Western U.S., Alaska, Hawaii and Mexico. "Peter Schall has served us well as the face of Hilton in the islands and has built a legacy that will not be forgotten. After 40 stellar years of successful service to Hilton, we wish him much happiness in his retirement."

Seibert began his career at Hilton in 1973 as a front desk clerk at the Indianapolis Hilton. The company gave him his first general manager position in 1982 at the Northfield Hilton in Troy, Mich. In 1988, he was named GM of the Hilton Chicago and Towers, where he earned the distinction of being named the Hilton General Manager of the Year for three consecutive years from 1990 to 1992. In 2000, he became area vice president, Midwest Region, Hilton Hotels Corporation and general manager of the Palmer House Hilton.

Seibert has been the Illinois representative to the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AH&LA) for more than ten years. In addition to serving on the association's executive committee for a number of years, he continues to serve on the political action committee of AH&LA and the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association (IHLA). Seibert has served as an IHLA board member for 15 years, four of them in officer positions. He has been vice chairman of the IHLA's Education Foundation since 1994, working to distribute over $200,000 in scholarships to deserving college students pursuing careers in the hospitality industry. Seibert has attended every Legislative Action Summit in Washington, D.C., since its inception, and has helped lead the Illinois delegation each year. Seibert was also elected chairman of the board of Chicago's Convention and Tourism Bureau in 1995 and 1996.

In addition to Seibert's bountiful experience, he has received many awards for his commitment to the hotel industry and to community service and philanthropy, including the 1994 Hotelier of the Year Award from the IHLA, the 1995 Spirit of Life Award from the City of Hope cancer research center, the 1996 "I Will" Spirit of Chicago Award, the 2003 Harold Washington College Bridge Award for support of the culinary and hospitality industry, and the 2004 Chairman's Hospitality Award from IHLA. He is also the recipient of the 2004 Lawson Odde Award from the AH&LA.

Of special note, Seibert has proven himself to be a tireless advocate for diversity in the workplace. He currently serves on the board of the Chicago and Northern Illinois Region of the National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ), a human relations organization devoted to fighting bias, bigotry and racism in America. He was the recipient in 2001 of NCCJ's Chicagoan of the Year Award.

Seibert received his undergraduate degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management from Purdue University. In 1989, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Purdue's School of Engineering and Technology at Indianapolis. Seibert will be relocating to Hawaii with his wife, Kathryn. He has three grown sons.

Hilton Hotels Corporation  develops, owns, manages or franchises approximately 2,300 hotels, resorts and vacation ownership properties. 

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