Ray Bennett is Senior Vice President, Lodging Development, CFRST Brands (Courtyard, Fairfield Inn, Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites and TownePlace Suites) for Marriott’s Eastern region. Additionally, Ray oversees Marriott’s Diversity Ownership Program launched in 2005 to help increase hotel ownership among women and minorities.

Ray’s most recent position was Area Vice President, Lodging Development, in which he was responsible for CFRST hotels in New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and the District of Columbia. Prior to this post, he held several hotel management positions in northern Virginia, including General Manager of the Residence Inn Pentagon City and Resident Manager of the Crystal Gateway Marriott.

In 2001, Ray joined Marriott International from Pepsi Bottling Group as Vice President of Operations for Marriott Distribution Services. He was responsible for six distribution centers with annual sales totaling more than $850 million. Ray spent 11 years with Pepsi in various capacities involving sales, logistics, operations, manufacturing and information technology.

Ray holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Grand Valley State University in Allendale, MI. He currently resides in Germantown, MD with his wife and four children.