PHILADELPHIA, PA | Starwood’s Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina property has earned the designation of CardioReady® Certified Meeting Space, furthering its commitment to a cardiac emergency program that has already saved three lives to date.

CardioReady® Certified facilities successfully complete a 20-step review process assuring that American Heart Association guidelines are followed for protecting guests, attendees, and employees from Sudden Cardiac Arrest — a leading cause of death, killing more than 330,000 per year in the United States alone. Requirements for receiving certification include medical supervision, strategic placement of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) throughout the facility, trained staff, documented equipment testing and maintenance programs, coordination with local emergency response entities and compliance with local, state and federal regulations.

“Guest safety and security has always been a top concern and training priority for all of our associates,” according to Dan Schmitzer, Director of Sales and Marketing, Starwood Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina. “Our customers want and need to know that their guests and attendees are in the best possible hands when an emergency occurs. Since investing in our AEDs, we have been able to help save three lives. We have now added two more AEDs to meet the requirements for CardioReady® certification and help ensure that we are in the best possible position to respond to future cardiac emergencies.”

Gregg Austin, who was recently saved by Sheraton staff using one of the Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) available at the property, commented, “My family and I are very thankful that my company chose the Sheraton San Diego for its Leadership Conference – it’s the reason I am here today and able to tell my story. We commend the Sheraton for instituting this valuable program and attaining CardioReady certification.”

The Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina and other properties that meet the criteria for the CardioReady Network can be found at , as well as through the StarCite Online Marketplace, . StarCite serves thousands of meeting professionals from major corporations and independent planning agencies and enables them to identify and select facilities that have employed best practices for cardiac emergency programs.

“As the leader in meetings management, StarCite provides the largest and most robust supplier marketplace in the industry, helping corporations source more than $6 billion in meetings a year,” said Mike Boult, StarCite’s president and CEO. “We’re pleased to be able to identify CardioReady® certified facilities in our database to help planners consider this important life-saving information as they make their meetings decisions.”

“A response time of 3-5 minutes is critical in responding to a Sudden Cardiac Arrest occurrence, which can strike without warning regardless of age or perceived good health,” commented Dr. Richard N. Edie, nationally renowned cardiothoracic surgeon and Chairman of the CardioReady® Medical Advisory Board. “By taking the steps necessary to become CardioReady® Certified, the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina has provided even more comprehensive protection for its guests from the all too common incidence of SCA deaths.”

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.(R) is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 870 properties in more than 100 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood(R) Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis(R), The Luxury Collection(R), Sheraton(R), Westin(R), Four Points(R) by Sheraton, W(R), Le Meridien(R) and the recently announced Aloft(SM) and Element(SM) Hotels. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit .

About CR Certification Corporation (“CRCC” or “CardioReady”)
CR Certification Corporation (“CardioReady”), works with the American Heart Association and industry-leading entities in the markets it serves to reduce death from Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) through the education, certification, and promotion of the proper implementation and usage of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs).

Developed in conjunction with American Heart Association and its recommendations and best practices, CardioReady® Certification provides a national standards and formal certification program to validate that a facility follows best practices and is truly ready to respond in the event of a cardiac emergency. In addition to reduced exposure to liability, a CardioReady® Certification provides proof of a company's commitment to the health and safety of the employees, customers, visitors, and their families. For more information, please visit .

About StarCite, Inc.
StarCite®, Inc. is the leading provider of On Demand Global Meeting Solutions™. StarCite optimizes global investments in corporate meetings and events, delivering visibility, savings and control. StarCite provides process efficiency, enabling technology and proven adoption management support to drive significant cost reduction to buyers and enhanced revenues to suppliers. StarCite is based in Philadelphia. StarCite’s equity holders Internet Capital Group (NASDAQ: ICGE), TPG Growth, Norwest Venture Partners (NVP), and TL Ventures. For more information about StarCite or its technologies and services, please visit .

Kristen Georgian
212-446-1877
Starwood