Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) today announced the appointment of David Matheson as vice president, investor relations.

Matheson will be responsible for developing and executing all aspects of Starwood`s investor relations program targeted to shareholders, analysts and the investment community. He will report to F. Daniel Gibson, the company`s senior vice president of corporate affairs.

A seasoned veteran, Matheson brings to his new role more than 14 years of hospitality and investor relations experience. He most recently served as vice president of public relations for Starwood Vacation Ownership Inc., a division of Starwood and the hospitality industry`s second largest vacation ownership developer. Before joining Starwood, Matheson managed public relations and investor relations for Vistana prior to Starwood`s acquisition of the company in October 1999. Prior to this, Matheson served as vice president of communications for the American Resort Development Association in Washington, D.C.

“Dave`s success in leading the public relations efforts for Starwood Vacation Ownership, paired with his experience in the investor relations arena make him the perfect choice,” says Gibson. “His strong relationships within both industries including real estate developers, portfolio investors, and key hospitality insiders will play an important role in Starwood`s investor relations strategy.”

Matheson is chairman of the public relations committee for the American Resort Development Association, sits on the Board of Directors for Orlando`s Healthcare Center for the Homeless and is a member of the National Investor Relations Institute.

A graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a BA in journalism, Matheson is based out of Starwood`s corporate headquarters located in White Plains, and resides in Connecticut with his wife and three children.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 750 properties in more than 80 countries and 110,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. With internationally renowned brands, Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchiser of hotels and resorts including: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Sheraton, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton, W brands, as well as Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwood.com.

——-