Franz S. Hanning
President and Chief Executive Officer
Wyndham Vacation Ownership
Franz Hanning is president and chief executive officer of Wyndham Vacation Ownership, Inc., and is responsible for the world's largest developer and marketer of flexible, points-based vacation ownership products. The Company's two primary consumer brands - Fairfield Resorts and Trendwest Resorts - together comprise more than 150 resort properties throughout North America, the Caribbean and the South Pacific, and serve more than 800,000 owner families worldwide.
Mr. Hanning joined Fairfield Communities, Inc., in 1982 as a sales professional. He was selected to join the company's first exclusive timeshare resort, Fairfield Williamsburg, and based on his outstanding sales results, was appointed sales manager in 1987.
In 1992, Mr. Hanning was appointed as sales vice president for Williamsburg and Myrtle Beach, Fairfield's first destination resort. In 1996, his next promotion took him to Orlando where he served as regional vice president of Sales for that market. One year later, he assumed responsibility as vice president of Sales for all of Fairfield's 20 sales locations.
Mr. Hanning continued to demonstrate effective leadership and from 1998 to 2001 served as chief operating officer for Fairfield Resorts. In 2001, culminating his nearly 20-year career with Fairfield, Hanning was named president and CEO of Fairfield Resorts upon its acquisition by Cendant Corporation.
Most recently, Mr. Hanning was named president and CEO of Wyndham Vacation Ownership and his role has extended to oversee the operations of both Fairfield and Trendwest Resorts, the West Coast's leading vacation ownership company, which had also been acquired by Cendant.
Today, Mr. Hanning leads a worldwide staff of more than 14,000 employees, and is responsible for all management, operations, strategic plans and growth initiatives for Wyndham Vacation Ownership.
Stephen
P. Holmes
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Wyndham Worldwide
Stephen P. Holmes is chairman and chief executive officer of Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE:WYN), one of the world's largest hospitality companies. It employs approximately 30,000 people and operates in more than 100 countries.
Prior to the formation of Wyndham Worldwide in 2006, Mr. Holmes was vice chairman and a member of the board of directors of Cendant Corporation, which ranked 114 on Fortune's 2006 "500 List," and chairman and chief executive officer of Cendant's Travel Content Division, where he oversaw Cendant's hotel franchise, vehicle rental, timeshare development, timeshare exchange and vacation rental businesses. Significant innovations under his leadership included the creation of the TripRewards® loyalty program; the launch of the successful RCI Points program for the timeshare industry; and the growth of the timeshare development business to become the largest seller of vacation ownership interests.
From 1990 to 1996, Mr. Holmes was executive vice president and chief financial officer of HFS Incorporated, responsible for the company's successful public offering and for setting and implementing financial policy and controls as well as overseeing the administrative functions of the organization. During his tenure as CFO at HFS, the company acquired more than 20 businesses, grew to a market capitalization in excess of $20 billion and was one of the fastest growing stocks on the New York Stock Exchange. He joined HFS at the company's founding in 1990.
Previously, he was a managing director of The Blackstone Group where he was involved with the strategy, negotiation and integration of acquisitions for the Blackstone investment partnership. Mr. Holmes began his career at Deloitte & Touche LLP.
In addition to his position at Wyndham Worldwide, Mr. Holmes serves on the executive committees of the World Travel and Tourism Council and the Travel Business Roundtable. He donates his time to the Boys and Girls Club of America and is a member of the board of trustees of the Chilton Memorial Hospital Foundation in Pompton Plains, New Jersey.
Mr. Holmes received a BSBA degree in accounting from Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Executive
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Wyndham Vacation Ownership
Michael A. Hug is executive vice president and chief financial officer for Wyndham Vacation Ownership, Inc. (WVO) responsible for all aspects of accounting and financial reporting, planning and forecasting, and WVO consumer finance operations which includes its treasury operations and servicing of the receivables portfolio.
Mr. Hug previously served as senior vice president and controller. Hug joined Fairfield Resorts in 1999 as vice president of Finance for Fairfield's Hospitality Services Group. He was named senior vice president and controller of Fairfield Resorts in 2002 and vice president and controller of Cendant Timeshare Resort Group in 2003.
Prior to joining Wyndham Vacation Ownership, Mr. Hug spent 11 years in public accounting with one of the Big Five public accounting firms.
President
and Managing Director
Group RCI, The Americas
Ricardo Montaudon is president and managing director of Group RCI, The Americas, for which he handles all affiliate-related operations. Group RCI, a subsidiary of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation, and the global leader in non-hotel leisure accommodations, offers exclusive access for specified periods to more than 60,000 vacation properties around the world.
Montaudon joined Group RCI in 1985, and prior to his current role held numerous positions within the company. He was President and Chief Executive Officer, Group RCI Latin America and Caribbean for 2 years, where he was responsible for all of the region’s B2B and B2C operations. While with RCI Resort Management, he was the Vice President of Operations where he oversaw the operation of more than 35 resorts and approximately 80,000 owner/members, and Vice President of Business Development where he was responsible for developing new contracts.
With more than 21 years of experience in the property ownership industry, he has developed expertise in key areas such as sales, database administration, marketing, new business development, and customer service. Some of his major achievements during his tenure at Group RCI include RCI’s vacation ownership development in Latin America & Caribbean, with Business Development and Service Operations in Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela. He also handled the consolidation and implementation of all Latin America Call Centers in Montevideo, Uruguay.
Montaudon is a member of the Board of Directors and a founding member of the Asociación Mexicana de Desarrolladores Turisticos (AMDETUR) and an ARDA Trustee. He studied business administration at La Salle University and at Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico (ITAM) and also studied strategic planning and business management at MIT Sloan School of Management and The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
President and Managing Director
Group RCI, Europe Middle East & Africa
John Paul Nichols is president and managing director of Group RCI’s Europe, Middle East & Africa region. Group RCI is a subsidiary of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation and the global leader in non-hotel leisure accommodations with exclusive access for specified periods to more than 60,000 vacation properties around the world.
Mr. Nichols is a hospitality veteran with nearly 30 years of experience in hotel development, vacation ownership (timeshare), marketing, sales, distribution channels, database marketing, gaming, property development and customer relationship management.
Prior to his
appointment as head of Group RCI Europe, Middle East & Africa, Mr. Nichols
held senior level positions at RCI, including president and CEO of RCI
International, and executive vice president of RCI's Leisure Property Management
Division.
Prior to joining RCI in 2001, Mr. Nichols served as executive vice president
and chief marketing officer of Cendant's hotel division, responsible for
information technology, marketing technology strategy, distribution channels,
electronic marketing, research, creative services, advertising, direct
marketing, sales, diversity and communications.
From 1998 to 2000, Mr. Nichols was president and CEO of Wingate Inns
International Inc., a Cendant hotel brand. During his tenure, he helped develop
the new hotel chain into a leading choice for business travelers in the
mid-market segment. He joined Cendant in November 1995 as vice president of
Owner Relations. Prior to this he held senior executive positions with
Remington Hotel Corporation in Dallas and Suitmark Hotels, based in Austin, Texas.
From 1979 to 1989, Mr. Nichols was tribal administrator and general manager for the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, in Indio, California, responsible for all tribal operations and businesses. During his tenure the Tribe developed various successful enterprises including biomass power plants, volume retail operations, as well as successful bingo, card and casino operations. He successfully guided the tribe through the Cabazon Decision, the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision recognizing the right of Indian tribes to approve and regulate gaming.
Steven A.
Rudnitsky
President and Chief Executive Officer
Wyndham Hotel Group
Steven A. Rudnitsky is responsible for the operation, growth, performance and strategic direction of Wyndham Hotel Group, one of the world's largest integrated lodging franchise and management companies.
Formerly, Mr. Rudnitsky was chairman and chief executive office of the Cendant Hotel Group. His achievements include the acquisition and integration of three major brands: Baymont Inn & Suites® in 2006, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, the Hotel Group's first upscale hotel chain, in 2005 and Ramada International Hotels & Resorts, which substantially expanded the Hotel Group's worldwide portfolio, in 2004. He also was responsible for the development and launch of the TripRewards® loyalty program, now the largest of its type in the lodging industry.
In concert with the Wyndham Hotels and Resorts acquisition, Rudnitsky established a management subsidiary in 2005, transforming the Hotel Group from a pure franchise organization and setting the stage for rapid expansion of its new upscale brand. In 2004 he created a nationwide network of field specialists to provide more intensive, on-site support to franchisees as part of a successful strategy to boost systemwide performance.
Prior to joining Cendant, Rudnitsky was president of Kraft Foodservice and executive vice president of Kraft Foods, Inc.; and vice president and general manager, food service, for Pillsbury Bakery & Food Service. He also held positions of increasing responsibility with Pepsi Cola North America, Pepsi Cola International and McNeil Consumer Products, a Johnson & Johnson company.
He is chairman of the American Hotel & Lodging Association's Multicultural & Diversity Advisory Council and serves on the Travel Business Roundtable, the Planning Committee of the NUY Hospitality Industry Investor Conference and the Advisory Board of the University of Delaware School of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management.
He is a former trustee of the National Restaurant Association's Education Foundation, a past director and founding member of the Multicultural Foodservice Hospitality Alliance and a former board member of the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association.
Mr. Rudnitsky received a bachelor's degree in accounting from Temple University in Philadelphia and a master of business administration degree in marketing from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey.
Executive
Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer
Wyndham Hotel Group
Jean Thomas, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Wyndham Hotel Group, is responsible for the strategy and execution of umbrella and brand-specific marketing programs. She oversees the loyalty and direct marketing, brand marketing and strategy, international marketing, market research, distribution partnerships, electronic promotions, hotel contact centers, worldwide sales and communications departments.
Ms. Thomas previously was corporate senior vice president of marketing for the hospitality services division of Cendant Corporation. She was responsible for developing its marketing strategy and identifying and optimizing channel, consumer and media synergies between its business units.
In that capacity, she also served as the point person for top-tier alliance marketing relationships and programs, provided marketing coordination between the business units and corporate information technology teams for division-wide initiatives and coordinated division efforts with Cendant's Travel Link team, which promotes intercompany travel synergies.
From August 2002 to November 2004, Ms. Thomas served the Cendant Hotel Group as senior vice president, brand strategy, responsible for developing comprehensive, long- and short-term marketing strategies for the company's eight lodging brands as well as managing the research team. In that role, she led the repositioning of each brand and directed the consumer research process that helped establish a new quality assurance program.
Earlier in her career, she was a vice president of marketing for Kraft Foods. During her tenure from 1987 to 2002, she served in a variety of marketing positions and helped direct the integration of the Kraft and Nabisco food-service marketing organizations. Prior to Kraft, she held marketing positions at PepsiCo Inc., Carnation Company and Harshe-Rotman and Druck Public Relations.
Ms. Thomas earned her bachelor's degree in foods and nutrition from Oregon State University in 1978 and her master's degree in marketing from UCLA Graduate School of Management in 1985.
Virginia M.
Wilson
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Wyndham Worldwide
Virginia (Gina) M. Wilson is executive vice president and chief financial officer of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation. She is responsible for establishing and implementing overall financial strategy, policy and controls for the Company. In this capacity, she ensures the organization's compliance with regulatory requirements regarding financial transparency and reporting, while overseeing the traditional finance areas of planning, treasury, tax, audit, payables and payroll. In addition, Ms. Wilson is responsible for Wyndham Worldwide strategic planning, information technology, mergers and acquisitions, investor relations and procurement. She brings over 30 years of finance, accounting and auditing experience to her role at Wyndham Worldwide.
Prior to joining Wyndham Worldwide, Ms. Wilson served as executive vice president and chief accounting officer of Cendant Corporation, where she was responsible for that company's corporate, divisional and business unit controllership, as well as tax and internal audit since 2003.
Formerly senior vice president and controller for MetLife, Inc., New York, she was instrumental in the successful initial public offering and demutualization of MetLife in 2000. During her tenure there, Ms. Wilson also led initiatives to ensure compliance with financial aspects of the Sarbanes Oxley Act and was responsible for corporate planning, external and management reporting, accounting and treasury operations, accounting policy, investment accounting and financial systems. She also supported the company's mergers and acquisitions, investor relations and rating agency activities.
Prior to joining MetLife, Ms. Wilson served as senior vice president and controller for Transamerica Life Companies, Los Angeles, where she was responsible for all aspects of financial reporting, accounting operations and accounts payable among other duties.
Ms. Wilson was formerly a partner with Deloitte & Touche, LLP in Los Angeles where she served clients in varied industries such as banks, S&L's, mortgage bankers and investment companies.
Ms. Wilson received her master's and bachelor's degrees in accounting from the University of Illinois-Urbana. She is a certified public accountant.
Seán C. Worker
Managing Director and Senior Vice President,
International Operations
Wyndham Hotel Group International
Seán Worker is directly responsible for all international operations functions for Europe, the Middle East and Africa and Asia Pacific region as well as having indirect responsibility for the communication, coordination and execution of all cross-functional international initiatives
Prior to joining Wyndham Hotel Group International, Worker held senior roles with Interstate Hotels & Resorts for six years, most recently as executive vice president, international operations and development for Europe, based in London. In that role, he was responsible for managing international operations and identifying new business opportunities in the United Kingdom and continental Europe. Prior to that, Worker served Interstate in Arlington, Va., as a senior vice president, responsible for directing sales on behalf of managed independent and branded hotels in the United States, Canada, Russia and Portugal. He joined MeriStar Hotels & Resorts, a predecessor company to Interstate, in 2001.
Earlier in his
career, Mr. Worker was chief operating officer for Maxxim Hotels & Resorts,
specializing in Mexican hotels and resorts. From 1994 to 2000 he held key
operations and sales positions for Bristol Hotels & Resorts in Dallas and
Marriott International. Prior to immigrating to the United States, Mr. Worker
held positions with Hilton in Germany, England and Ireland.
Worker received his bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant management from
The School of Hotel and Restaurant Management, GMIT, Galway, Ireland. He serves as a Patron of the School
He is based in Wyndham Hotel Group International’s London offices.
Stephen Young
Senior Vice President
International Development
Eastern Asia and Indo China
Wyndham Hotel Group International, Inc
Stephen Young joined the Wyndham Hotel Group in 2004 and is responsible for development in Eastern Asia and Indo China with a focus on development finance, feasibility analysis, negotiations and client relationships.
Mr. Young formerly was with Marriott and served Ramada International Hotels & Resorts, as director of China operations and development as well as vice president of Asia Pacific operations and development.
He also served as regional vice president in China, Taiwan and Macau in addition to chief operating officer for the greater China region of InterContinental Hotels and Resorts from 1997 through 2001.
Mr. Young was director and general manager, sound and vision division, for Philips Electronics China Ltd., an integrated manufacturer, marketer and distributor of electronic products and services from 1995 through 1997.
He began his career with Jardine Matheson and Co. Ltd., in 1971, serving as chief executive of Jardine Marketing Services from 1990 to 1995.
Mr. Young graduated from the University of Hong Kong in 1971 with an honors degree in social sciences.
President
Smith Travel Research
Mr. Lomanno is President of Smith Travel Research (STR), the leading authority on current trends in occupancy, room rate and supply/demand data for the U.S. and the North American lodging industries. Each month, STR obtains revenue data from over 25,000 US properties accounting for over 3.0 million rooms. In addition, STR collects daily lodging performance data from over 21,000 U. S. hotels with over 2.6 million rooms as part of its daySTAR program. Through daySTAR PLUS, STR tracks daily customer segmentation data for upscale properties in all major US markets.
Through its equity interest in The Bench, a London based hotel benchmarking company, STR now tracks market share performance worldwide for virtually every major global hotel chain and most major management companies through its various STAR programs. Clients rely on STR’s data quality and absolute data confidentiality to make strategic and operational decisions in the areas of sales and marketing, development, revenue management, reservation forecasting, internal audit and virtually all other departments.
STR also publishes Lodging Review, a weekly newsletter endorsed by the American Hotel & Lodging Association that tracks occupancy and room rates for the U.S., all fifty states, and the top 25 metropolitan markets. Data from Lodging Review is frequently published in Hotel & Motel Management, Hotels, Lodging Hospitality, Lodging Magazine, The Cornell Quarterly, The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. It is also used extensively by Investment bankers and Lodging Equity Analysts and hospitality consultants across the US. STR data is used as the official source of lodging statistics for the U.S. Travel Data Center's Travel Printout and by over 300 convention and visitors bureaus, state tourism departments and government entities.
Mr. Lomanno serves on the advisory boards of the HSMAI Foundation, Travel Industry of America, The Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell University, and the University of Delaware School of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management. He writes a monthly column for Hotel Motel Management magazine. Because of his in-depth understanding of current industry issues Mr. Lomanno is asked to give numerous speeches at industry seminars and hotel company meetings throughout the year. He is also a frequent guest lecturer at the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University. Prior to joining STR, Mr. Lomanno was National Director of Research for Laventhol & Horwath and has over twenty years of experience in lodging industry research.
President and Chief Executive Officer
American Resort Development Association
Howard C. Nusbaum, RRP is currently the president and chief executive officer of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA), the Washington D.C.-based professional association representing the vacation ownership and resort development industries.
Prior to joining ARDA in 2000, Nusbaum served as director of Corporate and Industry Relations for the American Hotel & Lodging Association as well as executive vice president of the Ohio Hotel & Lodging Association. Before joining the world of hotel association management in 1990, he was vice president of marketing for Janus Hotels and Resorts, a hotel management company with more than 50 hotels and motels nationwide.
Nusbaum received the Educational Institute’s “Lamp of Knowledge” for his development of hospitality training programs. Additional honors include being twice named (1995 and 1997) The Ohio Vocational Education Association “Person of the Year” for his work developing a curriculum for secondary school hospitality students. He received national recognition for his development of the very successful HOST Welfare-to-Work Program.
He is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati. Post collegiate education includes the respected Institute for Organization Management, a six-year program for association executives held at the University of Notre Dame. Nusbaum served his state hotel association executives as chairman of the International Society of Hotel Association Executives (ISHAE). He presently serves on the Board and Executive Committee of the Travel Industry Association and on the Board of the Travel Business Roundtable.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Ypartnership
Peter C. Yesawich is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of
Ypartnership, America’s leading marketing, advertising and public relations agency serving travel, leisure and lifestyle clients. The agency represents clients in every category of the travel industry through six offices across the United States and Europe.
Ypartnership is an integrated marketing communications company that is known for its strategic thinking, breakthrough creativity, and innovation in marketing practice. The firm’s Research and Brand Strategy Group is also regarded as one of the most respected sources of insights on the emerging travel habits, preferences and intentions of Americans, and co-authors the widely-acclaimed National Travel Monitor™ survey with Yankelovich, Inc.
Yesawich is a frequent commentator on travel trends in such publications as The
New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Time, Newsweek and Business Week, on the CNN, CNBC and MSNBC cable television networks, National Public Radio and BBC World. He serves as a featured columnist in several industry trade publications, and has authored numerous articles on marketing and advertising strategy in professional journals. He is also a co-author of Marketing Leadership in Hospitality published by Prentice Hall.
Listed in Who’s Who in America, Yesawich is the recipient of the World Travel Award from the American Association of Travel Editors, The Albert E. Koehl Award from the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI), and the Silver Medal from the American Advertising Federation. He was also named one of the “25 Most Extraordinary Marketing Minds” by HSMAI, and is a member of the board of directors of the Travel Industry Association of America.
Yesawich received three degrees from Cornell, including a doctorate in applied psychology, and is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program at Yale.