Hilton Hotels Corp. Celebrates Diversity - Corporate Offices in Beverly Hills and Memphis Host Weeklong Festivities

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. / June 27, 2000--To celebrate and encourage its diverse work force, Hilton Hotels Corp. held a weeklong international celebration with a variety of activities at its headquarters in Beverly Hills and at corporate offices in Memphis, Tenn.

The schedule of multicultural events took place June 19-23. Each planned event provided an opportunity for Hilton team members to heighten awareness of their own cultural and ethnic heritage while learning about other cultures.

"This is more than fun and games; our objective with these events is to raise awareness of our diversity efforts and principles," said Dorothy Hayden-Watkins, senior vice president-diversity. "It's a global economy, with Hilton-branded hotels around the world. Being able to motivate a diverse work force to service both business and leisure customers gives us a competitive edge.

"Having a positive work environment, with respect for different perspectives and cultures, affects productivity and ultimately the bottom line. To remain the first choice of the world's travelers, it's increasingly important to have diversity at all levels of the company."

At the worldwide corporate headquarters in Beverly Hills, Hilton employees involved themselves in an array of activities, including the company cafeteria's showcasing the cuisine of all seven continents.

The week started with a presentation from world-renowned genealogist Nancy Carlberg, who assisted some team members to understand one's approach in tracing their family tree and learn more about their heritage.

Other activities throughout the week included arts and crafts displays in the lobby, a world map mural its team members to identify their heritage and cultural links, and a contest to test knowledge of cultural traditions and customs, plus diversity games and musical presentations. The week concluded with a parade of cultural dress and performances by various Hilton team members.

The Memphis office showcased a different cultural region each day of the week, with activities taking place in its cafeteria. Cuisine of each region was featured on the employee menu.

Highlights of the week included a luncheon speaker, Bill Little, who is an original member of the Negro Baseball League's Memphis Red Sox, and an employee choir rendering historical Negro spirituals as part of African-American and Caribbean heritage. Also highlighted were European cultures, Asian and Pacific Islander heritage, and Middle Eastern cultures, plus Native American and Hispanic heritage.

Hilton Hotels is recognized internationally as a pre-eminent hospitality company. The company develops, owns, manages or franchises more than 1,800 hotels, resorts and vacation-ownership properties. Its portfolio includes many of the world's best-known and most highly regarded hotel brands, including Hilton®, Doubletree®, Embassy Suites®, Hampton Inn®, Hampton Inn & Suites®, Harrison Conference Centers®, Hilton Garden Inn®, Homewood Suites® by Hilton, Red Lion Hotels & Inns® and Conrad International®.