Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) named Christie Hicks as vice president of global sales-North America. Hicks, who joins Starwood from Hyatt Hotels, will oversee Starwood`s global sales organization that manages the company`s major accounts. She will supervise more than 100 global sales representatives. Hicks reports to Bob Moore, Starwood`s senior vice president of global sales.

A hotel industry veteran, Hicks most recently served as vice president of national sales for Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Hicks began her career with Hyatt in 1985 as a sales assistant, and quickly moved up the ranks in the company`s sales organization. During her tenure with Hyatt, Hicks served in a number of national sales positions including director of sales and marketing for Hyatt`s northeast national sales office and assistant vice president of national sales. In 1994, Hicks was honored as the recipient of the Donald N. Pritzker Award, Hyatt`s most coveted sales award. She was also named Hyatt`s national sales manager of the year in 1993.

“We are pleased to have Christie overseeing our global sales efforts for North America,” said Barry S. Sternlicht, chairman and chief executive officer of Starwood. “Her Hyatt experience will be valuable as we continue to build a world-class sales function under the direction of Bob Moore.”

Active in industry affairs, Hicks is a member of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE).

Hicks is relocating to New York City from Chicago and will work in Starwood`s worldwide headquarters in White Plains, New York.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., through its St. Regis, Luxury Collection, Westin, Sheraton, Four Points and W subsidiaries, is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 700 hotels in 76 countries and 130,000 employees.

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