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Technology MVPTechnology MVPTechnology MVPTechnology MVP

Maria ColemanMaria ColemanMaria ColemanMaria Coleman We’re adding another new column, and we think you’re going to We’re adding another new column, and we think you’re going to We’re adding another new column, and we think you’re going to We’re adding another new column, and we think you’re going to likelikelikelike it. We’re it. We’re it. We’re it. We’re learning more about learning more about learning more about learning more about Technology MVP Technology MVP Technology MVP Technology MVP Maria Coleman this quarter. Maria worked in Maria Coleman this quarter. Maria worked in Maria Coleman this quarter. Maria worked in Maria Coleman this quarter. Maria worked in several different departments during several different departments during several different departments during several different departments during her 23her 23her 23her 23----year tenure with Hilton Worldwide before taking her current position as Director of year tenure with Hilton Worldwide before taking her current position as Director of year tenure with Hilton Worldwide before taking her current position as Director of year tenure with Hilton Worldwide before taking her current position as Director of Information SecurityInformation SecurityInformation SecurityInformation Security in 2006. in 2006. in 2006. in 2006. Each of these departments experienced successes with two significant Each of these departments experienced successes with two significant Each of these departments experienced successes with two significant Each of these departments experienced successes with two significant commonalities: an emphasis oncommonalities: an emphasis oncommonalities: an emphasis oncommonalities: an emphasis on partnership and Maria Coleman as team leader.partnership and Maria Coleman as team leader.partnership and Maria Coleman as team leader.partnership and Maria Coleman as team leader. Department:Department:Department:Department: Information Technology Title:Title:Title:Title: Director of Information Security Location:Location:Location:Location: Memphis, TN Where were you in 1988? Maria Coleman was just starting her new HR job in Memphis with Holiday Inns Corporation. This native of Bethesda, MD, and military brat has always welcomed change with anticipation, knowing that it brings new people, new strategies and new challenges. In the 23 years since this pivotal move, Maria has experienced what she describes as “one phenomenal opportunity after another.”

Career pathCareer pathCareer pathCareer path Two years after Maria joined Holiday Corporation, the company split. Maria was one of three employees in her department selected to join the new company, Promus Companies, to manage their Health and Welfare programs. Maria’s efficient leadership style caught the attention of a new company division working with Harrah’s Entertainment to open riverboat casinos around the world. !Maria’s world continued to evolve through the ‘90s. Promus Companies split from Harrah’s Entertainment in July, 1995. She not only saw near complete turnover on her team, but the company was also in the midst of Annual Benefits Enrollment, and the entire savings and retirement department had moved to Harrah’s. Maria’s new challenge? To oversee their Health and Welfare programs and initiate Annual Benefits Enrollment with renegotiated rates and plans, and establish a national 401k program. Maria wrapped the 401k project on its due date of October 31. Following a brief recap and celebration with the teams, Maria arrived at the hospital a few hours later and gave birth to a healthy son on November 1. !This whole “have a baby and make a major deadline” deal worked so well for Maria that she decided to do it again in 1998. When the company acquired Doubletree, Maria (expecting her fourth child) was responsible for transitioning the brand benefits, compensation and 401k programs from Arizona to Tennessee. Maria

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! and her team were recognized for being the first department to successfully transition services within 120 days. Maria also oversaw the company’s compensation and bonus plan programs for all employees. Maria and team counted down 12 hours of labor contractions while calculating bonus payouts until the last checks were issued that evening. She left the office and again celebrated simultaneous successes in her professional and personal worlds, delivering a healthy baby girl the same night.

Joining theJoining theJoining theJoining the technologytechnologytechnologytechnology teamteamteamteam In August 2006, after a few years of managing Corporate HR, Maria was presented an opportunity to join the Enterprise Information Security Office, and the Information Technology Division she had so often worked with in the past.

Recent projectsRecent projectsRecent projectsRecent projects Following the Blackstone acquisition, Maria and her global counterparts Simon Fitze Horswell and Matt Hileman, worked with our enterprise IT team, Outside Council and our Strategic Partners (including IBM, AT&T, TCS and Accenture) to negotiate contracts, ensure compliance with Hilton Security Policies & Standards by the partners, and assist with the migration of our Data Centers. Working with HR and the brands, the team introduced new global brand standards, training and awareness, and translated the Information Security Policy into 34 languages. After contracts were signed at the end of 2010, Maria began to lead activities with IBM to support several activities necessary to achieve PCI Compliance. With the help of our Strategic Partners and support and dedication from other team leaders such as Jake McRae, Furqan Huda, Joe Knack, Hector Dominguez, Chris Carter, Julian Daniel, Frank Vargas, Matt Ritchie, Reggie Florez, Jennifer Pugh and all of IT Field Services, the teams worked around the clock to achieve PCI Compliance. The Auditors and Processor told Maria and her management team that they had never had a client that worked so hard to achieve multiple high priorities at one time. On Monday, April 18, Maria worked with their PCI Assessors to finalize the report and obtain authorization and successfully obtained Hilton Worldwide’s PCI Merchant Report on Compliance.

TTTThe he he he ssssecret to her successecret to her successecret to her successecret to her success One of Maria’s favorite quotes from Aristotle is “We are what we repeatedly do; therefore, excellence is not an act but a habit.” In essence, this philosophy and best demonstrated practice is what has made Maria such an important part of Hilton Worldwide for the past 23 years.