It’s official: Three months after former Choice Hotels International President & CEO Patrick Pacious stepped down and Dominic Dragisich, formerly chief growth and strategy officer, became interim CEO, Dragisich is now the company’s full-time president and CEO.
“Dom has been a proven, exceptional leader for nearly a decade at Choice Hotels,” Stewart Bainum Jr., chairman of the Board of Directors for Choice Hotels International, said in a statement. “Since stepping into the role of Interim CEO, Dom has advanced strategic priorities and fostered a performance-driven culture across the company. He brings an innovative mindset, a deep appreciation for attracting and developing great talent, and a clear vision for the future of the business.
“The Board conducted a comprehensive search and evaluated a strong slate of internal and external candidates,” Bainum continued, “Through that process, we concluded that Dom is the right leader to build on Choice Hotels' recent momentum, execute our strategy, and drive long-term value for our franchisees and shareholders. We look forward to partnering with Dom and are confident in his ability to position Choice Hotels for success.”
The New Leader
In his nearly 10 years with Choice Hotels, Dragisich has held roles of increasing responsibility across the company, including chief financial officer, executive vice president of operations and chief global brand officer and chief growth and strategy officer. He helped oversee the acquisition of the Radisson Americas business and its integration into Choice's systen.
Before joining Choice Hotels, Dragisich was chief financial officer at XO Communications, where he successfully returned the company to top-line growth and increased profitability. Earlier in his career, Dragisich held senior finance and operational positions at Marriott International, NII Holdings and Deloitte Consulting.
"I am honored by the Board's confidence and grateful for the opportunity to continue leading Choice Hotels," Dragisich said. "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. We remain focused on disciplined execution, accelerating growth, and strengthening our brands capitalizing on our commercial investments. I am excited to continue advancing our strategy and helping our franchisees succeed while delivering exceptional experiences for our guests."
Earlier this month, when he announced the company’s Q2 numbers, Dragisich outlined his goals for the company in his new role, with a focus on execution. “We have a meaningful opportunity to improve, and my job is to close the gap between where we are today and where I believe this business can perform,” he said at the time.