WHITE PLAINS, NY-Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc.has named Tim Roby senior vice president of sales for NorthAmerica. In this role, Roby will lead Starwood’s North Americadivision sales, field sales and catering and convention servicesteams for owned and managed hotels across all nine Starwoodbrands.

Roby will also be a key member of the global sales leadershipteam with a focus on emerging markets and international inboundbusiness capitalizing on Starwood’s global growth. He will beginhis new role, based here, in January and will report to DeniseColl, president of Starwood’s North America division.

Roby brings to Starwood more than 20 years of sales andmarketing experience. Most recently, Roby served as president andCEO of the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau, a position heheld since 2006. In that role, he was responsible for leading thesales and marketing organization charged with bringing business andleisure travelers to Chicago. He also directed the sales andmarketing strategies for McCormick Place--the largest conventioncenter in the United States.