Hilton Head Island, SC – April 12, 2013 – The newly-renovated Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa is proud to announce the appointments of  Tim Freisen as general manager; Gail Wargo as director of sales & marketing and Jim Barnett as director of food & beverage. Upon the recent completion of an extensive $30 million renovation, the resort is now noted among the nation’s most luxurious oceanfront retreats. With over 50 years of experience combined, all three hospitality veterans will work to create a renewing experience travelers have come to expect from the innovative Westin brand.

Tim Freisen is a 14-year Starwood veteran who has held a variety of leadership roles throughout his career, including general manager for The Westin Chicago River North, The Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers and The Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport Hotel. Most recently, Freisen served as the general manager for the iconic hotel - The Westin Book Cadillac Detroit. Prior to joining the Starwood network, Freisen worked for Marriott hotels in Oklahoma City, Dana Point, CA and Harrisburg, PA.

“There couldn’t have been a better time to join the resort team,” said Freisen. “From our refreshed, coastal-inspired guestrooms and diverse, oceanfront dining venues to revitalized indoor and outdoor meeting and event spaces, we’re excited to bring both business and leisure travelers a new level of luxury on Hilton Head Island.”

As the new director of sales & marketing, Gail Wargo will oversee all sales and marketing activities, including group and leisure sales, food and beverage, and catering for the property. Wargo is a recent retiree from Marriott International, where she served over 30 years in Sales Leadership. Gail held a variety of senior-level sales leadership roles at Marriott, at the property level and also in Global Sales, managing both the corporate and association segments.

“I’m thrilled to be joining The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa during its extraordinary transformation,” said Wargo. “With our new refresh, we’re really looking forward to bringing the signature Westin experience to our guests and the beautiful island of Hilton Head.”

Jim Barnett joins the resort from The Westin Book Cadillac, where he most recently served as “Chef and B,” overseeing all food and beverage operations at three restaurants, in-room dining and catered affairs including weddings, corporate galas and meetings. Prior to joining Starwood hotels in 2008, Barnett was the executive chef at the Townsend Hotel in Birmingham, MI, where he was responsible for the four-star, four-diamond Rugby Grille, The Corner Bar and all catered events.

“Our newly-enhanced restaurants and lounges will elevate the dining experience for locals and travelers alike on Hilton Head Island,” said Barnett. “I’m thrilled to be a part of the resort’s re-launch, and look forward to offering our guests a sensory, memorable food and beverage experience.”

For more information about The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa or to make reservations, visit www.westinhiltonheadisland.com or call (888) 627-8551.

About The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa
Located within Port Royal Plantation, the newly-renovated Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa is an AAA Four Diamond Award-winning resort overlooking the Atlantic Ocean with 416 guest rooms and suites. The resort offers a variety of dining options, outdoor swimming pools, a nine-treatment room Heavenly Spa by Westin with full service salon, WestinWORKOUT® studio, running and walking trails, beach and water sports. Guests also have access to the Port Royal Golf & Racquet Club, featuring three spectacular 18-hole golf courses: The Barony, Planter’s Row and Robber’s Row, designed by George W. Cobb, Willard C. Byrd and Pete Dye, respectively. The Port Royal Racquet Club, now home to the Ivan Lendl International Junior Tennis Academy, features 14 tennis Har-Tru clay and Nova hard courts. The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa also features over 37,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space that consist of 19 meeting rooms, including a 13,200 square-foot Grand Ballroom, an Oceanfront Pavilion and two Executive Boardrooms which can accommodate meetings and special events for groups of all sizes. For more information, visit www.westinhiltonheadisland.com.

About Westin Hotels & Resorts
Westin Hotels & Resorts makes the healthiest choices irresistibly appealing, so guests leave feeling better than when they arrived. With more than 186 hotels and resorts in over 36 countries and territories, Westin is owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1,090 properties in 100 countries and territories with 154,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels 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 Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.