ORLANDO, FLORIDA – February 6, 2007 â?¦ Marriott Golf, the world’s largest resort golf management company, today announced that Ryan Roche has been named Director of Golf at Marriott’s Griffin Gate Resort, featuring a Rees Jones designed Championship golf course located in Lexington, KY.
A member of the Marriott family for seven years, and a Class A Member of the PGA, Roche brings his experience to Griffin Gate where he will be responsible for managing all golf operations including food & beverage operations, group outings business, sales & marketing initiatives, and more.
Roche comes to Griffin Gate from Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Country Club, a 27-hole facility located in Rancho Mirage, CA, where he served as Head Golf Professional, and then Director of Golf Operations. Prior to his time at Ranchos Las Palmas, Roche served as Head Golf Professional at Marriott Golf’s Royal St. Kitts Golf Club, located on the island of St. Kitts in the West Indies.
Roche began his career with Marriott in 1999 as the Assistant Golf Professional at Shadow Ridge Resort, located in Palm Desert, CA. During his time at Shadow Ridge, which features a Nick Faldo designed Championship course and one of four Faldo Golf Institutes in the U.S., Roche became a Faldo Certified Instructor.
"I am thrilled to continue my work with Marriott, and look forward to serving as the Director of Golf at Marriott’s Griffin Gate Resort," said Roche. "My tenure with Marriott has enabled me to gain invaluable experience at some of the Company’s premier golf facilities, so I am well prepared for the exciting challenges and responsibilities ahead."
Roche graduated from Ferris State University with a B.S. in Marketing, with an emphasis on Professional Golf Management.
About Marriott Golf
Marriott Golf currently manages 60 golf courses at 45 facilities in 14 countries, offering more than 1,000 holes of championship golf. Marriott has been managing golf operations since 1970 and is currently one of the largest resort golf operators in the United States. Marriott provides golf management and consulting services to a variety of operational environments including resort, private club, daily fee, golf school and franchises.
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC. (NYSE: MAR) is a leading lodging company with nearly 2,800 lodging properties in the United States and 67 other countries and territories. Marriott International operates and franchises hotels under the Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites and Bulgari brand names; develops and operates vacation ownership resorts under the Marriott Vacation Club International, Horizons, The Ritz-Carlton Club and Grand Residences by Marriott brands; operates Marriott Executive Apartments; provides furnished corporate housing through its Marriott ExecuStay division; and operates conference centers and golf courses. The company is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and had approximately 143,000 employees at 2005 year-end. It is ranked as the lodging industry’s most admired company and one of the best places to work for by FORTUNE®. The company is also a 2006 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ENERGY STAR® Partner. In fiscal year 2005, Marriott International reported sales from continuing operations of $11.6 billion. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at www.marriott.com.
Contact:
Michele Kruchkowski (mkruchkowski@mastrocomm.com)
Stefanie Schiavello (Stefanie@mastrocomm.com)
Mastro Communications, Inc.
732-469-5700
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