GAITHERSBURG, MD (August 27, 2012) —  Sara Moore has been appointed General Manager of the Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center.  Jay Lefkowitz joins the team as Director of Hotel Operations.

Sara Moore - General Manager
Ms. Moore joins the hotel from the Tysons Corner Marriott where she was most recently Assistant General Manager.  In this position, she led her team to improve hotel productivity by over 21 percent and earned the highest Guest Satisfaction scores in the hotel's history.  She has been with the company for over 24 years.

Ms. Moore joined the Bethesda Marriott as a Benefits Specialist upon graduation from the University of Maryland.  Shortly thereafter she entered the Management Training Program as a Housekeeping Manager and later worked in Operations and Human Resources in several Marriott hotels in the Eastern Region including Crystal City, Bethesda Suites, Dulles Airport, and Williamsburg.  In 2004 she was promoted to Resident Manager at the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel where she was recognized with a Renaissance Leadership Excellence Award.

Jay Lefkowitz - Director of Hotel Operations
Prior to joining the Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center, Jay was Director of Operations of the Renaissance Charleston Historic District Hotel in Charleston, SC.  During Jay’s tenure at this hotel he helped lead the team to exceptional results.  In addition to improving operational efficiencies in Rooms, Events, and Food & Beverage, he assisted with an ownership transition in 2010 and filled in as Acting General Manager.   Furthermore, Jay has held the position of Chair of the Charleston Marriott Business Council successfully leading 14 hotels in Spirit to Serve initiatives since 2011.

A graduate of Virginia Tech, Jay began his career with Marriott in the Manager Development Program with Marriott Vacation Club International in Hilton Head Island, SC.  He continued to work in various Front Office and Human Resources roles with Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Birmingham, AL and San Francisco, CA.  In 2006, Jay returned to Marriott working as a Front Office Manager and later as Director of Services with Marriott Vacation Club in Hilton Head.

The Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center hotel near downtown DC is an ideal gathering place for families and business travelers alike. The hotel is conveniently situated in the suburbs of Washington, DC and close to a variety of local companies, including the Department of Energy, Lockheed Martin, NIST and the FDA. Overlooking a picturesque lake, the hotel offers 284 residential-style guest rooms with unique amenities including Marriott's signature bedding package and the ultra-adaptable Plug-In technology panel. Guests can dine at the hotel's restaurant on the outdoor patio and enjoy shopping and the Rio Entertainment Complex within walking distance. The hotel also features event spaces ideal for meetings and social events. For additional hotel information, call 1-301-590-0044 or visit www.GaithersburgMarriott.com.

About Marriott Hotels & Resorts
Marriott Hotels & Resorts continues to inspire and provide a balanced life on the road for discerning and high-achieving business and leisure travelers, offering warm, professional service; sophisticated yet functional guest room design; lobby spaces that facilitate working, dining and socializing; restaurants and bars serving international cuisine prepared simply and from the freshest ingredients; meeting and event spaces and services that are gold standard; and expansive, 24-hour fitness facilities. All Marriott hotels participate in the award winning Marriott Rewards frequent travel program that allows members to earn hotel points or airline miles for every dollar spent during each stay. For more information, visit www.MarriottHotels.com.