In December 2008, Washingtonian Magazine referred to Chris Otway as the “Event Guru” of Washington DC.

As Director of Sales and Catering at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, Chris’ job is to bag big-ticket events for the hotel, and that means being able to answer every question and assuage every concern a client might have—right down to tissues. Otway’s clients are about as diverse as they come: He works with trade associations, nonprofit organizations, the US government, and foreign diplomats. He’s the point person for event inquiries from the White House.

Chris played an integral role in the planning of events for the January Inauguration including breakfasts, black-tie VIP receptions, and, most important, the hot-ticket events.

Otway plans about 100 events a year at the hotel, 30 of which he classifies as “very high-profile,” meaning a president, foreign diplomat, or celebrity is among the guests. He’s been in event planning for 15 of his 32 years with the Marriott Company.