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Press Release: Cendant Timeshare Resort Group
June 23, 2003
PARSIPPANY, N.J. and REDMOND, WASH. -- Cendant Timeshare Resort Group Friday announced the appointment of Donald
L. Harrill as president and chief executive officer of Trendwest Resorts. Harrill, a twenty-year veteran of Hilton
Hotels Corporation and former CEO of Hilton Grand Vacations Company from 1995 to 2000, will succeed Jeff Sites,
who will leave the company to pursue personal interests.
“Don is an outstanding leader with a proven track record of producing exceptional results,” said Jack McConnell,
president and CEO, Cendant Timeshare Resort Group. “His extensive management experience in both timeshare and hotel
businesses will provide Trendwest with an invaluable advantage as it continues to aggressively expand into new
regions and marketplaces. Most importantly, as a seasoned veteran of leading hospitality brands, Don knows the
irreplaceable value of exceptional customer service - a hallmark of the Trendwest organization. We’re excited to
have someone of Don’s caliber join our organization and are confident that his leadership will be a tremendous
benefit to Trendwest employees and owners alike.”
As CEO of Hilton Grand Vacations Company, Harrill presided over a period of substantial revenue growth and market
expansion, while leading the development and implementation of a successful mixed-use strategy for Hilton timeshare
and hotel properties. Harrill also served in a variety of senior management positions during his twenty-year tenure
at Hilton Hotels Corporation, including regional senior vice president and executive vice president of Hilton franchise
subsidiary Hilton Inns, Inc. Most recently, Harrill was principal and president of Florida Marine & Resort
Developers, Inc., a private real estate development corporation based in Clearwater, Fla.
“I am tremendously pleased to join an organization with a clear passion for the product it sells, the owners it
serves, and the people it employs,” said Harrill. “Trendwest and Cendant are setting a new standard for the timeshare
industry, and I look forward to the opportunity to aggressively pursue our shared vision of sustained growth, high
operational performance and outstanding owner satisfaction.”
The company also announced that Gene Hensley, executive vice president of operations, has been named chief operating
officer. Hensley, a 14-year veteran of the company, will continue to oversee all sales and marketing functions
as well as operations of Trendwest’s WorldMark, The Club flexible points-based system of ownership. Also, Al Schriber,
executive vice president of administration, will be leaving the company to pursue other career opportunities. A
replacement will not be named.
Jeff Sites, who has served in a variety of leadership positions at Trendwest since 1989, will leave the company
following a brief transition period.
“Jeff was instrumental in developing Trendwest’s unique brand of timeshare ownership, and has played a pivotal
role in establishing the company as a leader in the timeshare industry,” said McConnell. “We deeply appreciate
Jeff’s leadership and his many contributions to Trendwest’s rapid and remarkable growth, and we wish him much success
in his future plans.”
Trendwest Resorts, headquartered in Redmond, Washington, is a leader in the vacation ownership industry, offering a network of drive-to resorts with a unique, flexible point-based system of ownership. Trendwest currently operates 48 WorldMark resorts in the United States, British Columbia, Mexico and Fiji. Trendwest is a subsidiary of Cendant Corporation. For more information visit www.trendwest.com/newsroom .
The Cendant Timeshare Resort Group is the world’s largest timeshare development business, with over $1 billion
in combined annual vacation ownership interest revenues, and more than 600,000 owners, 10,000 units and 110 resorts.
Business units include Fairfield Resorts, based in Orlando, Fla., and Trendwest Resorts, based in Redmond, Wash.
The Cendant Timeshare Resort Group is dedicated to the highest standards of ethics and practices in the marketing
and sales of innovative, market-leading vacation ownership products and services.
Cendant Corporation (NYSE: CD) is a diversified global provider of business and consumer services primarily within
real estate and travel.
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Media Contact Adam Schwartz Cendant Timeshare Resort Group (407) 810-3646 adam.schwartz@Cendant-TRG.com