Prior to joining Marcus Hotels and Resorts, Mr. Otto worked for the Stouffer Group of hotels for 15 years in positions including serving as general manager of the Stouffer Nashville hotel in Nashville, Tennessee.  He began his career with Hyatt Hotels in Chicago in 1978.  A highly recognized leader in the Wisconsin hospitality industry, Mr. Otto is currently serving as Chairman of the Governor�s Council on Tourism.  He is the past Chair of both the Greater Milwaukee Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Wisconsin Innkeepers Association, and was an appointed Wisconsin delegate to the 1995 White House Conference on Travel and Tourism.  He currently serves on the boards of the Greater Milwaukee CVB, IAHI-Six Continents, Spirit of Milwaukee and Junior Achievement of Greater Milwaukee.

�Bill has a proven track record in and passion for historic hotels.  The highly successful Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee, a Preferred member property and the Hilton Milwaukee City Center showcase how he has helped breath new life into classic hotels,� said Rob Cornell, Managing Director of Preferred Hotels & Resorts.  �These �grand dames� not only were restored to their former glory but were creatively injected with innovative concepts that have led to new levels of sustainable profitability.  We are looking forward to working with Bill to continue the
�Standards of Excellence�� that Preferred has been known to extol.�

Mr. Otto received a bachelor�s degree in hotel and restaurant management from the University of Wisconsin-Stout and has earned the Certificate Hotel Administrator designation from the American Hotel and Motel Association.  Mr. Otto, 47, resides in Wauwatosa, WI with his wife, Michele and sons Christopher, Nicholas and Jonathan. 

Founded in 1968, Preferred Hotels® & Resorts Worldwide is a global brand of 116 of the world's finest individually owned and managed luxury hotels and resorts. Every member hotel shares the same dedication to service and must qualify for membership by adhering to Preferred's Standards of Excellence�, an exhaustive quality assurance program that includes an annual, third party unannounced audit of 1,600 standards and practices.  Preferred Hotels® & Resorts Worldwide is a wholly owned subsidiary of IndeCorp Corporation, an organization dedicated to providing independent hotel brands with the resources needed to compete effectively with global hotel chains and preserve the diversity and distinctiveness of the world's independent hotels.