Scott BlalockJW Marriott Austin is pleased to announce the appointment of Scott Blalock as general manager of the new hotel slated to open in March 2015. A 25-year hospitality industry veteran, Blalock brings extensive operational, sales and administrative experience to the JW Marriott Austin. He has worked for the hotel's developer, White Lodging, since 2006 after more than 18 years of service with Marriott International. Blalock has a strong background in successfully managing convention hotels. He was a member of the opening team of the Marriott San Antonio Rivercenter Convention Hotel, general manager of the Marriott Indianapolis Downtown Convention Hotel, and opened the JW Marriott Indianapolis as vice president and general manager. In large part due to Blalock's leadership, the JW Marriott Indianapolis hotel has since been recognized as the JW Marriott Western Region Hotel of the Year for 2012, a 2012 Gold Key Winner and the 2012 Best of Mid-America award-winner by Meetings Focus Magazine. Blalock is highly respected in the hospitality industry. The success of the JW Marriott Indianapolis earned him the title of GM of the Year for the Americas by Marriott International and the Global GM of the Year for the JW Marriott brand.