STAMFORD,
Conn.--Jan. 2, 2013-- Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide,
Inc. (NYSE: HOT) today announced the election of Aylwin B. Lewis to the
Company’s Board of Directors, effective immediately. Mr. Lewis, 58, is
currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of Potbelly
Sandwich Works, LLC.
“Aylwin is an established leader in the retail consumer space, with a
history of successfully running highly recognizable brands,” said Bruce
Duncan, Chairman of Starwood’s Board of Directors. “The combination of
Aylwin’s operational experience and his track record of building
successful franchises make him an ideal addition to our Board as we
continue to build shareholder value, grow Starwood’s footprint and
expand its nine leading brands into new markets around the globe.”
Mr. Lewis has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of
Potbelly Sandwich Works, LLC since June 2008. Prior to that, Mr. Lewis
was President and Chief Executive Officer of Sears Holdings
Corporation, a nationwide retailer, after serving in numerous other
senior leadership positions within the company, including President,
Sears and Kmart Retailing, following Sears’ acquisition of Kmart
Corporation in 2005, where Mr. Lewis was then President and Chief
Executive Officer. In addition, Mr. Lewis also served in high-ranking
positions during his thirteen year career with Yum! Brands, Inc., a
franchisor of quick service restaurants including KFC, Pizza Hut and
Taco Bell, including Chief Multi-Branding and Operating Officer and
Chief Operating Officer.
Mr. Lewis, who also serves on the Board of Directors of the Walt Disney
Company, received dual bachelor degrees from the University of Houston
in Business Management and English Literature, a master of science
degree in Human Resource Management from Houston Baptist University and
an M.B.A. from the University of Houston.
About Starwood Hotels &
Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading
hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1,128 properties in
nearly 100 countries and 154,000 employees at its owned and managed
properties. Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and
franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following
internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury
Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®,
Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, Aloft®, and ElementSM.
The Company boasts one of the industry’s leading loyalty programs,
Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), allowing members to earn and redeem
points for room stays, room upgrades and flights, with no blackout
dates. Starwood also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., a premier
provider of world-class vacation experiences through villa-style
resorts and privileged access to Starwood brands. For more information,
please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.