Ron Rivett, an entrepreneur who founded Super 8, helping to usher in and foster the branded economy segment in the U.S., and in a second act co-founded My Place Hotels America, passed away on December 9 at the age of 83.
Rivett co-founded Super 8 Motels with his long-time friend Dennis Brown in 1974 in Aberdeen, S.D., marking a major moment in the budget hotel industry. Rivett founded Super 8 with the philosophy of a ‘clean, comfortable room for a few bucks less than the guy next door.’
By 1993, Super 8 had grown to achieve a milestone of 1,000 locations globally, helping the brand become one of the leading budget hotel chains at that time. The same year, Rivett sold the business to Hospitality Franchise Systems. The brand is now called Super 8 by Wyndham and operates as a Wyndham Hotels and Resorts subsidiary.
Furthering the philosophy of Super 8 and incorporating modern touches to create an affordable extended-stay brand, Rivett established My Place Hotels of America with his grandson, Ryan Rivett, now CEO, in 2012.
The first hotel opened in February 2012 in Dickinson, N.D. Since then, the upper-midscale extended-stay brand has expanded significantly, now comprising approximately 115 franchises across 36 states.
“Ron was an entrepreneur in every sense of the word and every endeavor he took on, always finding ways to improve,” said Ryan Rivett, co-founder and CEO of My Place Hotels. “His foresight was uncanny and his ability to cast vision remarkable to say the least. In his ever-pragmatic approach, Ron diligently ensured that the value and integrity of the businesses he created would be well positioned to proceed long after he was gone.”
An alumnus of Northern State University, he lived his entire life at Aberdeen, S.D. He has three daughters with his first wife. With his second wife, Sharon, he has two sons, and together, the couple has seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.