Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE: WYN) announced that Geoff Ballotti, President and CEO of
the global hospitality company's timeshare exchange and vacation rental division will
succeed departing hotel division President and CEO Eric Danziger, who is leaving the
company to pursue personal interests effective March 28, 2014. "During the past five
years, and through some very challenging global economic conditions, Eric provided
leadership that strengthened Wyndham Hotel Group's service to its franchisees,
expanded its hotel management offerings, and significantly grew its global footprint,"
said Stephen P. Holmes, chairman and CEO, Wyndham Worldwide. "As a well-respected
hotel industry veteran, Eric brought real passion for hospitality to Wyndham, and leaves
our hotel division set on a strong course for the future. We thank him for his leadership,
congratulate him on his legacy within our industry, and wish him all the best in the
future." Ballotti joined Wyndham in 2008 as president and CEO of Wyndham Exchange
& Rentals, the global leader in timeshare exchange and in professionally managed
vacation rentals, with a portfolio that encompasses over 107,000 vacation properties in
over 100 countries. Prior to joining Wyndham Worldwide, Ballotti spent 20 years in
various leadership positions at Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide. During that
time, he served as president of the North America division where he led a portfolio of
450 hotels with 65,000 associates. His previous leadership roles included real estate
development, call center and travel distribution management, marketing, sales, and
regional multi-brand managed and franchised hotel and hospitality operations
throughout North America and Europe. "Geoff brings a unique perspective that
combines his extensive experience building and growing storied hotel brands, as well as
his proven track record of leveraging synergies among diverse hospitality segments and
businesses throughout the world and at Wyndham Worldwide," said Holmes. "Over the
past six years, Geoff has led aggressive growth for our exchange and rentals
businesses in both geographic reach and innovative offerings to customers. I am
excited to now ask him to continue his leadership at Wyndham Hotel Group to further
grow and strengthen our iconic hotel brands around the world." Part of the Wyndham
Worldwide family of hospitality companies, Wyndham Hotel Group is the world's largest
hotel company based on the number of properties. With approximately 7,490
franchised and managed hotels and over 645,400 hotel rooms around the globe,
Wyndham Hotel Group is home to many of the world's best-known hotel brands that
include: Wyndham Hotels and Resorts®, Ramada®, Days Inn®, Super 8®, Wingate by
Wyndham®, Baymont Inn & Suites®, Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham®, Hawthorn
Suites by Wyndham®, TRYP by Wyndham®, Howard Johnson®, Travelodge® and
Knights Inn®. Following Ballotti's transition to Wyndham Hotel Group, Gail Mandel,
chief financial officer of Wyndham Exchange & Rentals will assume additional
responsibilities as chief operating officer for the division, reporting to Holmes. Wyndham
Exchange & Rentals encompasses RCI, the global leader in timeshare vacation
exchange, which today provides flexible vacation options to its approximately 3.7
million subscribing members each year to almost 4,500 affiliated resorts in over 100
countries; and Wyndham Vacation Rentals, the world's largest professionally managed
vacation rentals business, providing access to approximately 103,000 vacation rental
properties across Europe and North America. Mandel began her career at Deloitte &
Touche, and has over 20 years of financial and business experience in the hospitality
divisions of HFS Incorporated, Cendant Corporation, and Wyndham Worldwide. In her
past four years as CFO, Mandel has helped grow Wyndham Exchange & Rentals in close
collaboration with Ballotti and the president and managing directors of its exchange and
vacation rental companies who, along with the division functional leaders, will now report
directly to her. "In her additional role as COO, Gail will leverage her years of hospitality
industry experience to steward the ongoing growth of our timeshare exchange and
vacation rental businesses, where each has strong trajectories and proven leadership
teams in place," said Holmes. "We have built an exceptional culture at Wyndham
Worldwide which continues to attract the best talent in the industry, and these
transitions reflect the depth of our leadership and sound strategies that consistently
drive our strong results."