Mitt Romney rejoins Marriott board

By By SAMANTHA BOMKAMP | Associated Press – 10 hrs ago

NEW YORK (AP) — Former presidential candidate and Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney is rejoining Marriott International's board of directors.

He's held the post with the hotel chain twice before. The first time was from 1993 to 2002, when he left to campaign for governor of Massachusetts, and from 2009 to 2011, when he left to start his campaign for the presidency.

It's the first job announcement Romney has made since he lost the November election to President Barack Obama. Romney has kept a low profile since the election. He's spent the past month largely in seclusion at his family's California home.

Romney has been connected to the Marriott dynasty all of his life. He was named after J.W. Marriott. Romney's full name is Willard Mitt Romney and Marriott's was John Willard Marriott. Marriott, who founded the company in 1927, was close friends with Romney's father.

Marriott International Inc. is based in Bethesda, Md.