Marriott International has realigned the leadership of its Asia, Pacific & Australia Region in response to its extraordinary growth in the area, announced Ed Fuller, president and managing director of Marriott Lodging International. As a result, on April 2, the following managerial changes will become effective:

* Geoff Garside will be promoted to Senior Vice President with responsibility for all of Marriott`s hotel operations in Asia, Pacific and Australia, based in Hong Kong. The role is currently filled by Fuller in addition to his other responsibilities.

* Ed Hubennette, Vice President for Korea and Japan Operations, will be advanced to Market Vice President for Asia, the post formerly held by Geoff Garside. He will be based in Hong Kong.

* Simon Jongert, general manager of the JW Marriott Hotel Kuala Lumpur, will be named Market Vice President and General Manager for Malaysia and Myanmar. In his new role, Jongert will retain responsibility for the Kuala Lumpur hotel as he assumes leadership for all of Marriott`s lodging operations in Malaysia and Myanmar.

* Chuck Kelley, general manager of the Marriott Surfers Paradise Resort and Director of Operations for Australia and the South Pacific, will be promoted to Market Vice President and General manager for Australia. In his new capacity, Chuck Kelley will remain general manager of the Marriott Surfers Paradise Resort and will be responsible for all of Marriott`s operations in Australia.

* Ray Wong, Market Vice President and Executive Director for China, continues in his current role with expanded responsibilities as Marriott`s flagship Asian property, the JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong, is operationally transferred into his region.

* Brad Snyder, General Manger of the Kauai Marriott Resort & Beach Club and Director of Hawaiian Operations, will assume expanded responsibilities in his new role as General Manager and Director—Pacific Islands Operations.

The managerial moves are designed to allow Fuller to focus on the long-term, future growth of Marriott`s operations outside the United States and Canada. Geoff Garside will report to Ed Fuller; all the others will report to Geoff Garside.

“We are very enthusiastic about our long-term global growth opportunities,” said Fuller. “Marriott`s presence in Asia, Australia and the Pacific expanded almost overnight from seven hotels at the end of 1996 to 62 today with many more properties in the development pipeline. At the same time, we are also experiencing dramatic growth in other parts of the world. I am excited that the team we have assembled here will enable us to effectively manage our current portfolio and achieve our future growth and financial objectives in the region,”.

Geoff Garside joined Marriott in 1977 as director of management engineering at the company`s headquarters in Washington, DC, a position that required research into productivity improvement opportunities in hotel operations. In 1980, he was named general manager of the Twin Bridges Marriott Hotel in suburban Washington, DC. Subsequently, he held similar positions at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel in Arlington, Virginia, and the JW Marriott Hotel at Century City in Los Angeles before being named general manager of the JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong. He was named vice president for the Central and Southern Asia Region last year, following Marriott`s acquisition of the Renaissance Hotel Group.

Ed Hubennette rejoined Marriott last year as vice president for Korea and Japan Operations, based in Seoul. Prior to that, he was general manager of the Westin Chosun Seoul Hotel after serving as chief operating officer with Royal Garden Hotels in Thailand. In his new role, he will continue to hold responsibility for Korea and Japan.

Simon Jongert has been with Marriott since 1978 when he joined the company as director of catering. He subsequently held positions of increasing responsibility including regional food & beverage director in 1984, general manager of the Princeton, New Jersey Marriott in 1989, the Amsterdam Marriott in 1991 and the JW Marriott Hotel Kuala Lumpur in 1995. He will continue to be based in Kuala Lumpur.

Chuck Kelley joined Marriott in 1977 as an assistant restaurant manger at the Chicago Marriott O`Hare Hotel and since then has held various operational and marketing positions with increasing responsibility. He was named general manager of the Marriott Surfers Paradise Resort in 1996.

Ray Wong became part of Marriott`s leadership team in Asia in 1997. He formerly was an executive director with the Renaissance Hotel Group and was named to his current post last year. He is based in Hong Kong.

Brad Snyder joined Marriott in 1976 as a bellman at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel in California. Over the years, he held various management positions at the hotel before becoming in 1981, the opening resident manager of the LaGuardia Marriott Hotel in New York City. He has since served as general manager of the Newport Beach Marriott Suites Hotel, the London Marriott Grosvenor Square Hotel and now the Kauai Marriott Resort & Beach Club.

——-