Ryan S. Crist Named VP of Sales Distribution and Commercial Strategy at Marriott

BETHESDA, Maryland — Marriott International has promoted Ryan S. Crist to Vice President of Sales, Distribution and Commercial Strategy for U.S. and Canada, the MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy, and Licensed Brands. The promotion is effective May 2026 and reflects an 18-year career built entirely within the Marriott ecosystem.

Ryan S. Crist Promoted to VP Sales Distribution and Commercial Strategy at Marriott International

In his new role, Crist leads end-to-end commercial operations across Marriott International's largest and most complex portfolios. His priorities include aligning global commercial strategy with local execution, optimising distribution channels and delivering profit-focused topline growth across a multi-brand landscape that spans full-service hotels, luxury properties, MGM resort integrations and licensed brand partners.

Most Recently Head of Commercial Performance for the MGM Collection

Immediately before this promotion, Crist served as Head of Commercial Performance for the MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy, based in Las Vegas. He led commercial strategy and corporate partnerships for one of the most high-profile brand integrations in Marriott's recent history. He had joined the MGM team in 2023 as Senior Director of Portfolio Sales before stepping into the Head of Commercial role in mid-2025.

Eighteen Years of Sales and Commercial Leadership Across Marriott's Portfolio

Ryan S. Crist's Marriott career started in 2008 with regional sales roles in the San Francisco Bay Area. He progressed to Regional Sales Leader for Group and Catering and then Regional Director of Sales for Marriott's Full Service Hotel Portfolio in San Francisco, covering a broad western market for three years.

 As Director of Sales at Wailea Beach Resort in Maui, he led the sales function through a landmark $120 million property repositioning and rebranding. That transformation assignment  managing sales performance through a major physical and brand transition  is one of the more demanding assignments in hotel commercial leadership.

He followed that with the Market Director of Group Sales Strategy role across the Hawaiian Islands, overseeing multi-brand luxury sales across Marriott's Hawaii portfolio for nearly four years. Ryan then moved to Aspen as Market Director of Sales and Marketing for The St. Regis Aspen and W Aspen, two flagship luxury and lifestyle properties in one of the United States' most competitive resort markets.

Before hospitality, Ryan S. Crist spent three years with Mercedes-Benz USA in Northern California as Sales Leader, Finance Manager and Sales Representative, building the commercial and financial discipline that has carried through his hotel career. He holds a Bachelor of Science from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and an Associate of Arts from San Joaquin Delta College. He has completed executive leadership programmes at Cornell's Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School and UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business.

About Marriott International

Marriott International is a global hospitality company with more than 9,200 properties across 30 brands in over 144 countries and territories. In the U.S. and Canada, Marriott operates the largest hotel portfolio in the market, spanning economy to ultra-luxury under brands including Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, W Hotels, Westin, Marriott, Sheraton, Delta Hotels, Courtyard and Fairfield. The MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy covers 20 MGM Resorts International properties that are part of the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty platform.

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