J. willard marriott religion
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J.W. Marriott: From Herding Sheep to Hospitality Empire (An American Original)
Reprinted from the Archbridge Institute
American Originals traces the stories of those who charted their own paths, overcame barriers and achieved a better life for themselves and those around them by embracing personal responsibility, hard work and an entrepreneurial spirit.
Growing up on a hardscrabble sheep and sugar beet farm in Utah, John Willard “Bill” Marriott sought opportunities beyond his humble Mormon beginnings. In 1927, the 26-year-old Marriott opened an A&W root beer stand in Washington, DC, working around the clock with his wife, Alice. Forty years later, his company was the largest American restaurant company in annual revenue, with a toehold in hotels, which his son then expanded upon. Here is the story of this industry pioneer.
Beginnings
The Marriott family was steeped in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, whose members are commonly known as the Mormons. According to church history, founder Joseph Smith was first visited by an angel in the 1
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J. Willard Marriott
American hotel founder
J. Willard Marriott | |
|---|---|
| Born | John Willard Marriott (1900-09-17)September 17, 1900 Marriott Settlement, Utah, U.S. |
| Died | August 13, 1985(1985-08-13) (aged 84) Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, U.S. |
| Burial place | Parklawn Memorial Park, Rockville, Maryland |
| Occupation(s) | Founder, Marriott Corporation, since 1993 Marriott International |
| Spouse | Alice Sheets |
| Children | 2, including Bill Marriott |
John Willard Marriott Sr. (September 17, 1900 – August 13, 1985) was an American entrepreneur and businessman. He was the founder of the Marriott Corporation (which became Marriott International in 1993), the parent company of the world's largest hospitality, hotel chains, and food services companies. The Marriott company rose from a small root beer stand in Washington, D.C., in 1927 to a chain of family restaurants by 1932, to its first motel in 1957. By the time he died in 1985, the Marriott company operated 1,400 restaurants and 143 hotels and resorts worldwide, including two theme parks, earned US$4.5 billion in
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J. Willard Marriott
Founder of Marriott Corporation
| Starting from modest beginnings on his family farm in Utah, J. Willard Marriott went on to build an immensely successful lodging company that’s well known throughout the world. Marriott first joined the hospitality industry in 1927, when he successfully launched a restaurant business with the opening of the first “Hot Shoppes,”—starting with an A&W Root Beer stand in Washington, D.C. This prosperous venture stemmed from his notion of providing inexpensive quality food and services. The Depression years fueled a tremendous ingenuity in Marriott; he recognized the success of a low-cost restaurant and the failure of luxury restaurants. It didn’t take long for Marriott to expand into the airline and hotel industries, and for the Marriott Company to grow rapidly. Marriott opened his first hotel, the Twin Bridges Marriott in Washington, D.C., in 1957, followed by hotels in Dallas, Philadelphia and Atlanta. By 1964, the company had earned $84 million in revenue and had 9,600 employees. The com Copyright ©soybeck.pages.dev 2025 |