After a decade as the strong and vocal leader of industry giant Choice Hotels International, the company announced Friday that effective January 1, 2018, CEO Stephen Joyce will step up into the boardroom as vice chairman, with President and COO Pat Pacious ascending into the CEO role.
In what is being positioned as a natural succession plan, Pacious will offer continuity in his new role. “When Steve joined Choice as CEO, he was immediately impressed with Pat’s strengths and talents, and by enhancing Pat’s roles over the years, Steve ensured that Pat is the clear choice to succeed him,” said Stewart Bainum, Jr., chairman of the board at Choice. “Pat demonstrates exceptional vision, and has spearheaded innovations that cement our position as a hospitality and technology leader and pioneer, while further strengthening our strategic differentiation and our core values.”
Pacious joined Choice in 2005 and under his direction Choice built global technology platforms that resulted in improved profitability and efficiencies for the company’s franchised hotel owners. He has led strategies and innovative growth initiatives around brand, marketing, development, franchise services, revenue management and performance analytics. This includes the company’s growth in the upscale segment with both Cambria Hotels and The Ascend Hotel Collection, as well as the transformation of the Comfort Brand.
Previously, Pacious held senior management consulting positions with BearingPoint and Arthur Andersen, during which time he was engaged on several projects for Choice, and is a former U.S. Navy officer.
“Business is strong,” Pacious said. “Our upper midscale and midscale brands – Comfort and Sleep Inn – are experiencing their strongest growth in recent history. We have solidified our place in the upscale market with Cambria Hotels and The Ascend Hotel Collection. Most importantly, we remain focused on embracing digital disruption and creating innovative technology solutions that improve our franchisees’ return on investment, expand our customer reach, and serve the broader industry.”