Name: Karen Wittig Title: Vice President of Sustainability & Environmental Education, ARAMARK Harrison Lodging—since March 2007 Number of years with ARAMARK: 24 Most recent position: Vice President, Premium Services for ARAMARK’s Sports and Entertainment Group Primary responsibilities: Karen is responsible for influencing current business practices and for raising awareness about sustainability and environmental concerns throughout ARAMARK Harrison Lodging. What she likes most about her work: “I am someone who is very passionate about what I do. This is another extension of my passion. The people I work with are very passionate about what they do. It is a great atmosphere to work in.”...

Name: Nicholas Lakas Title: Director, element Hotels Number of years with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide: Four. Work experience prior to current position: Lakas previously worked for Westin Hotels and Resorts as the director of portfolio management and as part of Starwood’s Strategic Planning Group. Prior to working for Starwood, he worked as an investment banker for Credit Suisse Boston in San Francisco. Primary responsibilities: “I oversee the overall direction and development of the element brand.” What he likes most about his work: “The overall element project itself and to have had the opportunity to be part of developing a new brand...

Name: Teresa Sanders Title: President & Owner, InnWorks, Roseville, Minn. Number of years with her company: 15 Work experience prior to current position: Teresa worked for the USA Group and continues to work for them as secretary/treasurer. The USA Group was formed to create public and private placement offerings of real estate securities. She has also worked for Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. and CIS Equipment Leasing Corp. Primary responsibilities: Teresa is responsible for all day-to-day executive and senior management functions over 18 limited-service hotels that generate approximately $10 million in revenues and employ approximately 300 full- and part-time employees. What she likes most...

Name: Christal White Title: Eco-concierge Hotel: 70 Park Avenue Hotel Number of years with Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group: 2 years Work experience prior to current position: Christal worked as a concierge for other hotel groups prior to joining Kimpton. Primary responsibilities: “Educating guests about environmental responsibility through encouragement and by example.” What she likes most about her work: “The fact that I work for such a supportive company that is driven to make changes on behalf of the planet. Being able to share my interests with so many like-minded people.” NEW YORK—If not for Hurricane Katrina, Christal...

Name: Tracy Marks Title: General Manager Hotel: Hilton Portland & Executive Tower Number of years with Hilton: 24 years Work experience prior to current position: “I started working in hotels right out of college. I worked at a Hilton in Washington, D.C. first and since have worked at seven other Hilton properties around the country.” Primary responsibilities: “To manage the hotel while meeting all of Hilton’s service standards, and meeting our owner’s financial expectations.” What he likes most about his work: “The interaction with all of our guests and our team members. I also enjoy being able to contribute...

Name: Pat Maher Title: Senior Vice President, Engineering and Program Management Company: Marriott International Number of years with company: 22 Work experience prior to current position: “I was an electrical engineer involved in the designing of all types of buildings.” Primary responsibilities: “I am responsible for both the leadership and strategy development of the Lodging Engineering Department and Program Management Organization.” What he likes most about his work: “I enjoy working for a company like Marriott that is so committed to facilities and asset management.” BETHESDA, MD.—Overseeing engineering and resource management programs at almost 3,000 hotels cannot be...

Name: Kit Cassingham Title: Consultant and Founder of Environmentally Friendly Hotels Company: Sage Blossom Consulting, Ridgway, Colo. Number of years with company: 18 Year company founded: 1989 Work experience prior to current position: “I was in the hospitality industry as a B&B innkeeper.” Primary responsibilities: “I am primarily a B&B consultant. I conduct seminars, including online seminars. I teach environmental innkeeping.” What she likes most about her work: “I like to see people realize they can make a difference. I enjoy seeing successes and people changing their ways.” RIDGWAY, COLO.—Kit Cassingham knows a thing or two about what...

SAN FRANCISCO—Marriott International Inc. announced it has joined forces with Clean Up the World, a leading global environmental organization with 35 million volunteers in 120 countries. The company launched the new partnership in San Francisco at its global conference during a Save the Bay cleanup effort involving more than 50 Marriott general managers. “We have a long standing commitment to the environment, and Clean Up the World is another great way for us to expand our green efforts at the community level,” says J.W. Marriott, Jr., Chairman and CEO of Marriott International. “It is a perfect fit with...

Name: John HueyTitle: Director of StewardshipCompany: Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts Inc., Buffalo, N.Y.Number of years with company: 15Year company founded: 1915Work experience prior to current position: “I was a risk manager for a group of companies—mainly in the timber industry.”Primary responsibilities: “My primary responsibility is to travel around the country and make sure our environmental management system is effectively administered.”What he likes most about his job: “I get to go to great places in order to do good things to improve environmental performance.” MODESTO, CALIF.—John Huey has a job that many of us would easily give up a...

Name: Wen-I ChangTitle: Founder and PresidentCompany: Atman Hospitality Group, Inc., South San Francisco SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO—Wen-I Chang, founder and president of Atman Hospitality Group, Inc., based here in South San Francisco, is a lodging industry groundbreaker. He is not only talking about building green hotels, he is doing it. In fact, his first environmental property—the 133-room Gaia Napa Valley Hotel & Spa in American Canyon, Calif.—opened in October. Chang also is developing the 133-room Atman Hotel in Anderson, Calif., a 141-room Merced Center Hotel in Merced, Calif., and a property in Mt. Shasta, Calif. Each of Atman Hospitality Group’s properties will...