JOHN GELLER

PRESIDENT AND CEO, MARRIOTT VACATIONS WORLDWIDE, ORLANDO

Marriott Vacations Worldwide is a timeshare company that runs more than 120 resorts with over 700,000 members. Its brands include Marriott Vacation Club, Marriott Vacation Club Pulse, Grand Residences by Marriott, and The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club. Geller, who was its chief financial officer from 2009 to 2021, assumed the role of CEO in January 2023. He joined Marriott International in 2005 as senior vice president and chief internal audit and information security officer and later held a number of positions before becoming CFO. He also helped lead the spin-off of Marriott Vacations Worldwide from Marriott International in 2011.

EDUCATION: Pennsylvania State University (BS)

MENTOR: One of my key mentors has been Carl Berquist, who retired as the CFO at Marriott International. Carl provided crucial opportunities that helped me along my career journey. Trusting his guidance, I joined Marriott International as the Chief Audit Executive, which opened the doors into my career in hospitality and instilled in me the importance of giving and taking opportunities to help shape the leaders of tomorrow.

READING: While I love to dig into a good book or podcast in my spare time, my most practical advice is for colleagues to sign up for and read daily email newsletters and digests to keep up to date with the latest industry and business news and trends. A few of my favorites are Barrons, Morning Brew, and WSJ News Debrief.

WHAT I’VE LEARNED: One of the single most valuable lessons I’ve learned, which applies both in life and business, is the importance of resilience. In the face of challenges and setbacks, maintaining a resilient mindset is key to overcoming obstacles and achieving long-term success. It's about staying focused and maintaining adaptability, even when the road ahead seems daunting. Through resilience, we can turn adversity into opportunity, grow stronger from our experiences, and ultimately, achieve our goals.