Among Forty Under 40 honorees, “electrical engineering degree” is not a frequently seen résumé line. Dana Rosenberg can make that claim — but, by her own admission, “I loved math and science, but I was a horrific EE,” she said. “[At Princeton], I would cross out the professor’s questions, write my own — and still get them wrong.”
So some experience as a consultant, a Wharton MBA, and brand management experience at Kraft Foods set her on the path to her current position at Starwood, where she balances more than 75 entertainment and sports sponsorships, including deals with the NHL, MLB, the U.S. Tennis Association and dozens of teams with Starwood’s frequency/loyalty programs.
Rosenberg began as a consultant with Starwood in 2008 and has moved steadily upward since, being named to her current position in August 2014.
The sponsorship portfolio for the company’s hotel brands, which include Sheraton, St. Regis, W Hotels and Westin, has been increasing along with Rosenberg’s responsibilities for sound reasons. ROI isn’t a wish: It’s a reality. “We’ve been able to specifically track that people stay with us more and spend more when they interact with our partners, whether they are in sports, airlines or even someone like Uber,” Rosenberg said.
Rosenberg said one of her team’s more arduous tasks was to fully integrate Starwood’s frequency/loyalty program with Delta’s Crossover Rewards program. The project took close to four years.
That’s just a warmup for what’s pending: a merger with Marriott that’s scheduled for completion this summer that would create the world’s biggest hotel company. The deal is valued at nearly $14 billion.
“No one really knows much about the structure yet,” Rosenberg said, “but I’m excited about the possibilities and to see what a combined organization of 5,500 hotels will look like.”
Sounds like she’ll be back to designing an integrated circuit.
— Terry Lefton
Dana Rosenberg
Starwood Hotels & Resorts | VP, Global Strategic and Marketing Partnerships
Age: 39
Where born: Houston
Education: Princeton University (B.S.E., electrical engineering and operations research); University of Pennsylvania, The Wharton School (MBA, marketing and strategic management)
Family: Husband, Ben; children, Jenna (8), Rachel (6), Lauren (3)
Advice I’d give to my younger self: Dont sweat the small stuff.
2016 will be a good year if: The Marriott/Starwood integration goes smoothly; all of our partners are taken care of; and if I have one day when all three
of my girls aren’t bickering.
Person in the industry I’d like to meet: Billie Jean King.
I’d like to change jobs for a day with: Michelle Obama. She’s a great example of having an impact and leading from behind while also juggling the mom responsibilities.
Group supported: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Most thrilling/adventurous thing I’ve done: Had a third child, especially a third girl.
You'd be surprised to know: I say “y’all” a lot. It comes out more when I am tired.
