Starwood 2011 Annual Report Download - page 11

STARWOOD HOTELS & RESORTS WORLDWIDE, INC.
ONE STARPOINT
STAMFORD, CT 06902
PROXY STATEMENT
FOR
2012 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
Our Board of Directors (the “Board”) solicits your proxy for the 2012 Annual Meeting (the “Annual
Meeting”) of Stockholders of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., a Maryland corporation (“we,” “us,”
“Starwood” or the “Company”), to be held on Thursday May 3, 2012, at 10:00 a.m. local time, at The St. Regis
Bal Harbour Resort, 9703 Collins Avenue, Bal Harbour, Florida 33154, and at any postponement or adjournment
thereof. Proxy materials or a Notice of Meeting and Internet Availability were first sent to stockholders on or
about March 21, 2012.
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS.
THE PROXY STATEMENT FOR THE 2012 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS AND
THE ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2011
ARE AVAILABLE AT www.starwoodhotels.com/corporate/investor_relations.html.
THE ANNUAL MEETING AND VOTING —QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What is the purpose of the Annual Meeting?
At our Annual Meeting, stockholders will act upon the matters outlined in the Notice of Annual Meeting of
Stockholders. These include the election of the ten director nominees, a non-binding advisory vote to approve the
compensation of our named executive officers, ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our
independent registered public accounting firm and any other matters that may be properly presented at the
meeting. We are not aware of any matters to be presented at the meeting, other than those described in this proxy
statement. If any matters not described in the proxy statement are properly presented at the meeting, or any
adjournment or postponement thereof, the proxies may vote your shares pursuant to the discretionary authority
granted in the proxy.
Why did I receive a notice in the mail regarding the Internet availability of the proxy materials instead of
a paper copy of the proxy materials?
The Securities and Exchange Commission has adopted rules permitting the electronic delivery of proxy
materials. In accordance with those rules, we have elected to provide access to our proxy materials, which
include the Notice of Annual Meeting, Proxy Statement and Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2011, over the Internet at www.starwoodhotels.com/corporate/investor_relations.html.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 9, 2012, directing them to a website where they can
access the proxy materials and view instructions on how to authorize proxies to vote their shares over the Internet
or by telephone. Stockholders who previously indicated a preference for paper copies of our proxy materials
going forward received paper copies. If you received a Notice but would like to request paper copies of our proxy
materials, you may still do so by following the instructions described in the Notice.
Choosing to receive your proxy materials by email will save us the cost of printing and mailing the
documents to you and will also help preserve environmental resources. Unless you affirmatively elect to receive
paper copies of our proxy materials in the future by following the instructions included in the Notice, you will
continue to receive a Notice directing you to a website for electronic access to our proxy materials.
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