Marylouise Fitzgibbon Appointed GM for 517-key W Fort Lauderdale in Florida
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - October 10, 2013 - With over 20 years of Starwood experience, Marylouise Fitzgibbon has joined W Fort Lauderdale as General Manager. In this role, Fitzgibbon will be responsible for managing hotel staff while implementing new strategies to elevate awareness and attract new clientele for the beachfront hotel.
"Marylouise's extensive hospitality and record-setting management experience with the W brand makes her a tremendous asset to W Fort Lauderdale," says Tara Whitmire, director of human resources at the hotel. "We are extremely fortunate to have her leading our team, and are excited to see the hotel grow as one of the area's most sophisticated and luxurious destinations under her guidance."
Prior to joining W Fort Lauderdale, Fitzgibbon was the General Manager of W Atlanta Buckhead, where she was responsible for the opening of the hotel from concept to completion in 2008. Within the first three months, her marketing savvy helped the hotel secure over 230 pieces of press coverage in top tier publications, reaching a global audience of nearly 200 million. Under her leadership, the hotel was named 2009 Buckhead Business of the Year and became one of the area's premier destinations.
A Florida native and a graduate of the University of Central Florida, Fitzgibbon earned a B.A. in hospitality and then attained her M.B.A. Also a mother of two sets of twins, she has perfected a work/life balance while receiving a number of honors including General Manager of the Year by the American Hotel & Lodging Association in 2010, one of Atlanta's 40 Under 40 and Jezebel Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful Citizens. She also served as an Adjunct Professor at Georgia State University's School of Hospitality and participated in community organizations such as United Way Hospitality Cabinet, and was on the board for the Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association.
The 517-room hotel is one of South Florida's "it" resorts, ideally positioned directly on Fort Lauderdale Beach overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway. Guests can enjoy lavish hotel amenities including Gerber Group's stylish Whiskey Blue and Living Room, Stephen Starr's Steak 954, a Bliss® spa and the only Ted Gibson salon outside of New York City.
For more information about W Fort Lauderdale or to make reservations, call (954) 414-8200 or visit wfortlauderdalehotel.com
About W Fort Lauderdale
Perfectly positioned directly on Fort Lauderdale Beach overlooking the crystal blue Atlantic Waters, W Fort Lauderdale resort is South Florida's "it" spot featuring 517 modern chic guest rooms including 171 lavish condo-hotel residences, two infinity pools with cabanas, Stephen Starr's STEAK954, Gerber Group's infamous Whiskey Blue, Living Room and WET, the massage-mecca bliss spa, and the only Ted Gibson salon outside of New York City. For more information on W Fort Lauderdale, call (954) 414-8200 or visit http://www.wfortlauderdalehotel.com/
About W Worldwide
W Hotels is a contemporary, design-led lifestyle brand and the industry innovator with 41 hotels and retreats in the most vibrant cities and exotic destinations around the world. Inspiring, iconic, innovative and influential, W Hotels provides the ultimate in insider access, offering a unique mix of cutting-edge design and passions around fashion, music and entertainment. W Hotels offers a holistic lifestyle experience that is integrated into the brand's sensibility through contemporary restaurant concepts, glamorous entertainment experiences, stylish retail concepts and signature spas. With more than 12 years of proven success, W Hotels is on track to reach more than 50 hotels by the end of 2012. W Hotels and W Retreats have been announced for Paris, St. Petersburg, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, Bangkok, Athens - Astir Palace, and Verbier, among other international destinations. For more information, visit www.WHotels.com.