Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), a leading global hospitality franchisor, today announced the elevation of Judd Wadholm to the position of Senior Vice President and General Manager for its Core Brands division. With an impressive tenure of nearly 17 years at Choice Hotels International and Radisson Americas, Mr. Wadholm will spearhead the development and success of the company’s nine key brands spanning the upper midscale to economy segments in the U.S. These brands, totaling 5,500 hotels as of year-end 2023, are now under his leadership. Previously, he held the role of Vice President, Managed Hotels Americas.
“Even as we up the game in upscale and extend our lead in extended stay, Choice is as committed as ever to growing and improving the performance of our great core brands,” said Chief Segment and International Operations Officer Raul Ramirez. “Judd has a proven ability to develop strong relationships with hotel owners and operators while driving hotel revenue, profitability, and guest satisfaction, and I’m confident he’ll help lead our core portfolio to the next level.”
The core brands under Mr. Wadholm’s purview are among the most recognized in the hospitality sector, including Comfort, Country Inn & Suites, Sleep Inn, Quality Inn, Clarion, Clarion Pointe, Park Inn by Radisson, Econo Lodge, and Rodeway Inn. Notable achievements in the recent period include:
- Sleep Inn’s introduction of its Scenic Dreams prototype in March, featuring redesigned guest rooms and communal spaces that have significantly increased the likelihood of guest stays, according to consumer tests.
- A record-setting year for Country Inn & Suites, which secured 10 new franchise agreements in December 2023 alone, bringing the year’s total to 19 – the highest since 2016.
- The opening of 33 new Comfort hotels in 2023, marking the most significant expansion since 2019 and including the debut of the Rise & Shine prototype hotel in Mountain Grove, Missouri.
- Quality Inn’s robust growth, with 35 new hotel openings and 64 franchise agreements awarded in 2023.
“We call these brands our core for a reason,” said Mr. Wadholm. “It’s because they are central to what Choice does and to the tremendous value we offer hotel franchisees and guests alike. Our core is strong, and I can’t wait to get to work with our talented team and experienced hotel owners to drive performance and grow our Core Brands portfolio.”
Mr. Wadholm, who joined Choice in 2022, brings a wealth of experience from his previous leadership roles in operations, owner relations, and finance at Radisson Americas and its preceding entities. He earned his MBA from St. Cloud State University and his Bachelor’s in Business Administration, specializing in Finance, from the University of North Dakota.
The post Choice Hotels promotes insider Judd Wadholm to senior Vice President, aiming to boost core brand performance appeared first on Travel And Tour World.
Source link
