Choice Hotels International, Inc. has officially named Dominic Dragisich as its President and Chief Executive Officer, effective August 31, 2026. Dragisich, who has also been appointed to the company’s Board of Directors, takes permanent leadership of the global lodging franchisor after serving as Interim CEO since May 20, 2026.
The appointment follows a comprehensive executive search conducted by the Board of Directors, which evaluated a range of internal and external candidates. Ultimately, the board elected to elevate a proven internal leader who has spent nearly a decade shaping the company’s corporate strategy, operational execution, and financial performance.
Official statements from Choice Hotels emphasize that Dragisich’s appointment is designed to drive continuity, maintain strategic momentum across the franchisor’s 22 brand portfolio, and maximize long-term returns for global franchise partners and institutional shareholders.
A Decade of Strategic Leadership Across Core Operational Roles
Dominic Dragisich brings over 20 years of hospitality, finance, and operational management experience to the chief executive role. Since joining Choice Hotels nearly ten years ago, he has held multiple senior executive positions, serving as Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President of Operations and Chief Global Brand Officer, and Chief Growth and Strategy Officer.
During his executive tenure, Dragisich played a central role in major portfolio expansions, including the strategic acquisitions and integrations of Radisson Hotels Americas and WoodSpring Suites. These acquisitions significantly strengthened Choice Hotels’ presence in higher-rated upper-upscale segments and high-margin extended-stay categories.
Prior to his tenure at Choice Hotels, Dragisich served as Chief Financial Officer at XO Communications and held senior finance and operational leadership roles at Marriott International, NII Holdings, and Deloitte Consulting.
Strategic Priorities Focus on Extended-Stay Growth and Brand Portfolio Quality
As chief executive, Dragisich assumes responsibility for advancing Choice Hotels’ long-term growth agenda across its global footprint of over 7,500 franchised properties representing more than 650,000 guest rooms. The company’s core strategy centers on expanding its high-margin revenue drivers, specifically in the extended-stay and midscale categories.
Official financial disclosures indicate that Choice Hotels continues to raise its domestic revenue per available room (RevPAR) guidance and net room growth expectations, anchored by strong property conversions and robust demand in extended-stay segment offerings.
In official statements, Dragisich reiterated the company’s focus on disciplined operational execution, commercial technology investments, and helping franchisees maximize property-level profitability. Key operational priorities for the executive team under Dragisich’s leadership include:
Accelerating hotel development pipelines across high-demand extended-stay and upper-midscale brands.
Enhancing digital booking channels and loyalty integration through the Choice Privileges program.
Streamlining property conversion pathways to help independent hotel owners join Choice’s global distribution network.
Expanding direct franchising capabilities across international growth markets.
Navigating Hospitality Trends and Franchise Partner Support
The leadership transition comes at a pivotal moment for the global lodging industry, as travel franchisors navigate evolving consumer demand, shifting discretionary spend, and rising operational costs for hotel owners. By selecting an insider with extensive operational and franchisee-facing experience, Choice Hotels aims to reinforce franchisee relationships and accelerate property-level unit growth.
Board leadership underscored that Dragisich’s deep familiarity with the franchisor’s capital-light business model positions the company to capture market share efficiently. Choice Hotels’ capital-light franchising structure generates consistent cash flow while enabling rapid unit scaling without the capital intensity of direct real estate ownership.
With a solid global pipeline and ongoing investments in technology-driven property management tools, Choice Hotels continues to position itself as a highly competitive partner for hotel developers and franchise owners worldwide.
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