Hilton Hotels Corp. (NYSE:HLT), one of the world`s premier lodging hospitality companies, today announced that Madeleine A. Kleiner has been named the company`s executive vice president—general counsel, effective Jan. 15, 2001.

She will report to Stephen F. Bollenbach, president and chief executive officer, and have responsibility for managing the company`s legal affairs and directing its legal department.

“Madeleine brings to our organization 25 years of experience in managing corporate legal departments and counseling clients for one of the world`s pre-eminent law firms, as well as her wide range of business skills that have earned her high regard from her colleagues and clients,” Bollenbach said.

“We are delighted to have someone of Madeleine`s reputation and experience join Hilton to head our legal department and look forward to her being a key contributor to the future growth and success of our company.”

Prior to joining Hilton, Kleiner was senior executive vice president, chief administrative officer and general counsel for H.F. Ahmanson & Co., a NYSE-listed company until its 1998 merger with Washington Mutual Inc. Ahmanson was the parent company of Home Savings, a full-service banking company with assets of $55 billion.

During her three years with Ahmanson (1995-98), she supervised the company`s human resources, government affairs, corporate communications and charitable contributions functions, in addition to its legal department.

From 1977 to 1995, Kleiner was associated with the law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, serving as a partner since 1983. She specialized in corporate finance, acquisitions and reorganizations and general corporate counsel.

In addition, from 1976 to 1977, Kleiner served as law clerk to the Honorable William P. Gray, a judge for the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

Active in numerous community and professional organizations, Kleiner currently chairs the board of directors of Public Counsel, a pro bono provider of legal services.

Kleiner was featured in The American Lawyer Tenth Anniversary issue (“Ten Who Made It Happen,” March 1989), and The American Lawyer`s Corporate Counsel edition (“45 Under 45,” 1996). In 1996, she was awarded the Corporate Leadership Award by the Big Sisters of Los Angeles.

Kleiner earned a bachelor`s degree in urban planning from Cornell University and a J.D. from Yale Law School, where she also was Note and Project Editor of the Yale Law Journal.

She lives in Toluca Lake, Calif., with her husband and two children.

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