• The Wall Street Journal (subscription required), Monday, April 9, 2007 12 PM

After investigating an anonymous letter it received two months ago, the board of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide pressed former CEO Steven J. Heyer to explain a large number of emails and text messages to and from female employees on a variety of topics outside normal working hours. They also questioned him about his hiring and promotion practices.

Heyer--who denies any impropriety--resigned last week and says he opted to forfeit an estimated $35 million of severance compensation because he was "burned out" and "wanted to walk away from this job with my head held high."

Heyer--who had been president and COO of Coca-Cola before landing the job at Starwood in 2004 because of his marketing prowess--has been known for difficult relations with employees.

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