NEW YORK— The Cornell University School of Hotel Administration awarded J.W. “Bill” Marriott, Jr., Chairman and CEO, Marriott International, with the first annual Cornell Icon of the Industry Award. Over 530 senior leaders in the hospitality industry were in attendancefor the award presentation, which recognized Marriott's lifelong leadership in the hospitality industry and for his extraordinary civic and philanthropic contributions. 

Bill Marriott

Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, co-Hosts, Morning Joe, MSNBC Television, were event emcees who presented the award with Michael Johnson, Dean, Cornell School of Hotel Administration, and Bruce White, CEO and Chairman, White Lodging.  The Cornell Icon of the Industry award was presented at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York. The School’s Leland and Mary Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship also presented the 4th annual Hospitality Innovator of the Year Awards to winners Fred Malek, CEO and Co-Founder, TIG Global, and Trip Schneck, President and Co-Founder. White Lodging was title sponsor of the event.

From left: Michael Johnson, Dean, Cornell School of Hotel Administration; Jill Kobus Johnson; David Marriott, Senior V.P of Global Sales; Marriott International; Debbie Marriott Harrison, Senior V.P. of Government Affairs; Bill Marriott, Jr., Chairman and CEO, Marriott International; Mika Brzezinski; co-Host, Morning Joe, MSNBC Television; and Joe Scarborough, co-Host, Morning Joe, MSNBC Television.