Meet Franz Hanning

Franz Hanning at the Feb. 20, 2007 Press conference announcing the tournament's move to Sedgefield.

(Franz Hanning is seen here, far left, at the Sam Snead Cup Presentation at this year's Wyndham Championship.)

Franz Hanning is president and chief executive officer of Wyndham Vacation Ownership, Inc., and is responsible for the world’s largest developer and marketer of flexible, points-based vacation ownership products. The company’s three primary consumer brands - Wyndham Vacations Resorts, WorldMark by Wyndham and Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific - together comprise more than 145 resort properties throughout North America, the Caribbean and the South Pacific representing more than 17,500 vacation ownership units, and serve more than 800,000 owner families worldwide.

Hanning is responsible for all management, operations, strategic plans and growth initiatives for Wyndham Vacation Ownership. Under his direction, the company has posted the strongest gains among the Wyndham Worldwide business units, representing the largest contribution to its EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization).

Hanning joined one of the country’s largest land development entities, Fairfield Communities, Inc., in 1982 as a sales professional. He was later selected to join the company’s first exclusive timeshare resort, Fairfield Williamsburg, and based on his outstanding sales results, was appointed sales manager for Fairfield Resorts in 1987.

In 1992, after just 10 years with the company and having successfully served as sales manager, Hanning was appointed as sales vice president for Williamsburg and Myrtle Beach, Fairfield’s first destination resort. In 1996, his next promotion took him to Orlando where he served as regional vice president of sales for that market. One year later, he assumed responsibility as vice president of sales for all of Fairfield’s 20 sales locations.

Hanning continued to demonstrate effective leadership and from 1998 to 2001 served as chief operating officer for Fairfield Resorts. In 2001, culminating his nearly 20-year career with Fairfield, Hanning was named president and CEO of Fairfield Resorts upon its acquisition by Cendant Corporation.

In 2004, Hanning was named president & CEO of Wyndham Vacation Ownership (previously Cendant Timeshare Resort Group) and his role was extended to oversee the operations of Wyndham Vacation Resorts, WorldMark by Wyndham and Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific.

In 2007, Hanning marked his 25th anniversary with the company he originally joined as a sales professional. Today, he leads a worldwide staff of more than 17,700 employees. He is based at the company’s headquarters in Orlando, Fla.