New York University

New York University

The Office of Public Affairs

Tuesday, Dec 11, 2007

Frits van Paasschen To Share “Secrets of Brand Success” at Leading NYU Hotel Development Conference in 30th Year

NEW YORK December 11, 2007-Frits van Paasschen, chief executive officer of Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, will share his secrets for building, marketing, and sustaining brands at the 30th Anniversary NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference, to be held June 1 to June 3, 2008 at the Waldorf=Astoria Hotel in New York City.

Modeled after the successful CNBC television series Beyond the Boardroom with Jonathan Tisch - conference chair and chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels - Mr. Tisch will interview Mr. van Paaschen on the significance of branding.

As CEO of one of the world’s largest hotel companies, Mr. van Paasschen oversees operations of approximately 890 full-service hotels in the luxury and upscale segment of the lodging industry. Among Starwood’s diverse brand portfolio is Sheraton, Four Points, W Hotels, aloft, The Luxury Collection, Le Meridien, Element, Westin, and St. Regis. Mr. van Paasschen’s previous experience includes leadership roles within the Coors, Disney and Nike brands.

The NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference, hosted by New York University’s Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management, is the premier hospitality finance and development forum of its kind where hotel CEOs, analysts and other hospitality leaders gather to discuss the current state, significant growth, future challenges, and major developments in the industry. Jonathan M. Tisch, chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels and son of the Tisch Center’s namesake Preston Robert “Bob” Tisch, is conference chair.

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About the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference

Now in its 30th year, the New York University International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference (www.nyu.edu/hospitalityconference) is hosted by NYU’s Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism, and Sports Management. The foremost annual gathering of hospitality business leaders, the conference gives attendees the chance to network, gauge trends, attend workshops and seminars, and make deals in a dynamic setting. The special 30th anniversary program is currently being developed by the Executive Planning Committee, and more information will be available online in March 2008.

About NYU’s Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism, and Sports Management

NYU’s Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism, and Sports Management, part of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (www.scps.nyu.edu), offers undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs that develop professionals with in-depth industry knowledge and the critical thinking skills necessary for leadership roles in the fields of hospitality, tourism and sports management. The Center’s full-time and adjunct faculty is composed of leading practitioners and researchers. Its board of advisors includes senior executives who advise on curricula development and help ensure that coursework reflects the latest industry trends and needs. The Tisch Center’s location in the heart of New York City-one of the world’s premier tourist and sports destinations-provides its students with multiple internship and networking opportunities, as well as the chance to study at several on-site “industry classrooms” at such venues as The New York Marriott Marquis, The Waldorf=Astoria, Chelsea Piers, and the NBA Store.