Choice Hotels International’s board of directors has appointed Dominic Dragisich as president and CEO, effective Aug. 31, according to a news release.
Dragisich has served as Choice Hotels’ interim CEO since May 20 after the exit of former CEO Patrick Pacious, who has been an advisor to Choice Hotels until Aug. 31. Choice Hotels did not provide a reason for his departure.
Dragisich has been with Choice Hotels for nearly 10 years in a variety of roles, including chief growth and strategy officer as well as chief financial officer.
“Since stepping into the role of Interim CEO, Dom has advanced strategic priorities and fostered a performance-driven culture across the company,” Stewart Bainum Jr., chairman of Choice’s board of directors, said in a statement. “He brings an innovative mindset, a deep appreciation for attracting and developing great talent, and a clear vision for the future of the business.”
Bainum added Dragisich was selected after a “comprehensive search” that included a “strong slate” of internal and external candidates.
As CEO, Dragisich is tasked with building on the company’s momentum, delivering on strategy and driving long-term value for franchisees and stakeholders, per Bainum. Over the years, he has played a “pivotal role” in the company’s growth, leading major acquisitions and advancing key strategic initiatives, per Choice.
Before joining Choice, Dragisich held senior finance and operational positions at Marriott International.
In a statement, Dragisich said he is “grateful” for the opportunity to continue leading the company.
“With a talented team, a higher-quality portfolio, a more accretive and diverse pipeline, and significant opportunities ahead, we are entering this next chapter from a position of strength,” he said. “We remain focused on disciplined execution, accelerating growth, and strengthening our brands capitalizing on our commercial investments.”
During its second-quarter earnings call earlier this month, Choice raised its full-year U.S. RevPAR outlook and global net rooms growth and cited conversions and the extended stay category as “key” growth drivers.
