Ryder, a resident of New Canaan, CT, was named chairman and chief executive officer of Reader's Digest in April 1998. Prior to that, Ryder worked at American Express, serving as president of American Express Travel Related Services International, president of Establishment Services Worldwide, president of the Direct Marketing Group and president and Worldwide executive publisher of American Express Publishing Corporation.

Pharos Capital Group is a private equity firm focused on providing growth and expansion capital to technology companies, business service companies and health care companies, according to Starwood officials. Youngblood is a former Presidential appointee and Senate confirmed director of the United States Enrichment Corporation, an independently-run $1.4 billion government-owned nuclear fuel corporation that was privatized in 1998.

In addition, Youngblood previously served as a fiduciary trustee of the $85 billion Teacher Retirement System of Texas, chairman of its multi-billion-dollar real estate portfolio and served on the executive committee of the Council of Institutional Investors. He is currently a director of the American Advantage Funds, a $6 billion mutual fund company managed by AMR Investments.