In 1927, J. Willard Marriott opened the nine-stool root beer stand that evolved into the Hot Shoppes Restaurant chain. For the next 58 years, he built and expanded the Marriott brand on a foundation of guiding principles that remain embedded in the company’s culture today.
Alice Sheets was J. Willard Marriott’s essential partner in both life and business. She had a hands-on role in helping the Marriott company grow, and her volunteer spirit is celebrated each year through the Alice S. Marriott Award for Community Service.
Raised in the family business, J.W. “Bill” Marriott, Jr. developed an early passion for hospitality. In his more than 50 years at the company’s helm, he built Marriott into a global lodging company with more than 3,700 properties in over 73 countries and territories.