FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – October 8, 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.