Starwood 2009 Annual Report Download - page 11

Why did I receive a one-page notice in the mail regarding the Internet availability of proxy materials
instead of a full set of proxy materials?
Pursuant to the rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, we are providing access to our
proxy materials over the Internet. Accordingly, we sent a Notice of Meeting and Internet Availability of Proxy
Materials (the “Notice”) to our stockholders of record and beneficial owners as of the close of business on March 17,
2010. All stockholders will have the ability to access the proxy materials on the website referred to in the Notice or
request to receive a printed set of the proxy materials. Instructions on how to access the proxy materials over the
Internet or to request a printed copy may be found on the Notice. In addition, stockholders may request to receive
proxy materials in printed form by mail or electronically by email on an ongoing basis.
How can I get electronic access to the proxy materials?
The Notice will provide you with instructions regarding how to:
• View our proxy materials for the Annual Meeting on the Internet; and
• Instruct us to send our future proxy materials to you electronically by email.
Choosing to receive your future proxy materials by email will save us the cost of printing and mailing
documents to you and will reduce the impact of our annual stockholders’ meetings on the environment. If you
choose to receive future proxy materials by email, you will receive an email next year with instructions containing a
link to those materials and a link to the proxy voting site. Your election to receive proxy materials by email will
remain in effect until you terminate it.
Who is entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting?
If you were a stockholder of the Company at the close of business on March 17, 2010 (the “Record Date”), you
are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting. You have one vote for each share of common stock of
the Company (“Shares”) you held at the close of business on the Record Date on each matter that is properly
submitted to a vote at the Annual Meeting, including Shares:
• Held directly in your name as the stockholder of record,
• Held for you in an account with a broker, bank or other nominee, or
• Credited to your account in the Company’s Savings and Retirement Plan (the “Savings Plan”).
On the Record Date there were 188,946,476 Shares outstanding and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting and
there were 15,414 record holders of Shares. The Shares are the only outstanding class of voting securities of the
Company.
Who may attend the Annual Meeting?
Only stockholders of record, or their duly authorized proxies, may attend the Annual Meeting. Registration
and seating will begin at 11:00 a.m. To gain admittance, you must present valid picture identification, such as a
driver’s license or passport. If you hold Shares in “street name” (through a broker or other nominee), you will also
need to bring a copy of a brokerage statement (in a name matching your photo identification) reflecting your stock
ownership as of the Record Date. If you are a representative of a corporate or institutional stockholder, you must
present valid photo identification along with proof that you are a representative of such stockholder.
Please note that cameras, recording devices and other electronic devices will not be permitted at the Annual
Meeting.
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