ORLANDO, Fla. – Today, Governor Rick Scott announced that Wyndham Destinations, Inc., a new publicly traded timeshare company, has selected Orlando as the location for their new global headquarters. The company will create 200 new jobs and make a $7.5 million capital investment in Orlando.
Gov. Scott said, “Today, I am proud to join Wyndham Destinations as they move their headquarters to Orlando and create 200 jobs in our state. By cutting taxes and creating an environment where our private sector can grow, we have made it easier for major businesses to move their operations to Florida. Wyndham Destinations made a great choice by picking Orlando for their headquarters.”
Mayor Teresa Jacobs of Orange County, said, “I am delighted to celebrate the launch of Wyndham Destinations, and the establishment of their new headquarters here in Orange County. Our community is deeply proud to be a part of the success of this legendary company – which ranks as the largest vacation ownership, exchange and rental company in the world – and we deeply appreciate their commitment to the Central Florida region.”
“Over the past decade, we have built the world’s largest vacation ownership and exchange company thanks to the hard work of our employees and the loyalty of our customers,” said Michael D. Brown, president and chief executive officer for Wyndham Destinations. “We are excited to move forward as a focused, pure-play company with a leading market position and significant growth opportunities. With our experienced management team, robust sales and marketing platform, and increased financial flexibility, we look forward to providing our owners and guests with great vacation experiences and delivering value for our shareholders in the years to come.”
Cissy Proctor, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, said, “Wyndham Destinations’ commitment to Florida is a testament to the confidence businesses have in the strength of our talented workforce and our business-friendly policies. We look forward to the positive impact that Wyndham Destinations will have for Floridians.”
Peter Antonacci, CEO of Enterprise Florida Inc. said, “The EFI Board of Directors is proud that Wyndham Destinations has chosen Orlando to locate its global headquarters. The 200 new high wage jobs provide more opportunity for hardworking Floridians.”
Tim Giuliani, President and CEO of the Orlando Economic Partnership, said, “The Partnership assisted the company by providing critical data and research on the market, facilitating the incentives application process and creating customized relocation packages for employees. There is no better place than Orlando for one of the world’s largest hospitality brands. We welcome Wyndham Destinations and its employees and are proud it chose Orlando as home.”
The project was made possible through strong partnerships with Enterprise Florida, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, the Orlando Economic Partnership (the Partnership), and Orange County government.
Governor Scott highlighted two Wyndham Destinations employees at today’s event:
Julia Salazar started her career with Wyndham in Puerto Rico nearly 11 years ago. She lost everything when Hurricane Maria devastated the island last year. To support her, Wyndham Destinations offered her a job in Orlando, and today, she is the Quality Assurance Manager at the Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort in Orlando.
Bobet Bennett-Marshall was born in Jamaica. She graduated high school at the age of 16 and decided to move to the United States to pursue her dreams. She graduated from college and joined Wyndham Destinations as an accountant in New Jersey. She has been with the company for 15 years, and today, she is the Regional Vice President for Resort Operations, overseeing 11 resorts in Florida as well as resorts in several other states.