Sheila Stampfli, president of Courtesy Associates, a Washington D.C.–based conference and events management firm owned by SmithBucklin, will step down from her position at the end of the year. Stampfli has held the position since 1997 and was instrumental in directing the national and international growth of the firm for more than 40 years.

“While it was a tough decision for me—and a decision that I’d been considering for some time—it has been a great honor to lead Courtesy for so long and to have established such strong relationships with the clients we serve—some who have been with us for more than 35 years,” Stampfli said in a statement.

As president of Courtesy, Stampfli served such clients as the White House, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the National Institutes of Health, the International Society for Antiviral Research, and a variety of Fortune 500 companies.

Stampfli will continue in a business development role for Courtesy and SmithBucklin following her resignation. SmithBucklin is conducting a search to identify her replacement.

In other industry personnel news, Marriott International Inc. has appointed David Marriott, the youngest son of chief executive officer Bill Marriott, to regional vice president of hotel operations for properties in New York (including the Marriott Marquis in Times Square), Philadelphia, Baltimore, and some New Jersey cities.

David Marriott’s new position has stirred speculation about the likelihood of the 34-year old succeeding his father as head of the company. CEO, Bill Marriott, who is 76, says he has no plans to retire, according to The Washington Post.

David Marriott most recently served the company as senior vice president of global sales. In his new role, which begins in September, he will be involved in all aspects of hotel operations, including helping general managers hit their profitability targets and interacting with owners at each property.