{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"41228","rtpr_id":"nPn3md1X1a","ticker":"CHH","exchange":"NYSE","all_tickers":["CHH"],"title":"Choice Hotels International Announces CEO Transition","author":"PR Newswire","published_at":"2026-05-20T20:05:00.261Z","article_body":"Choice Hotels International Announces CEO Transition\n\nPR Newswire\n\nNORTH BETHESDA, Md., May 20, 2026\n\nPatrick Pacious Steps Down as President and Chief Executive Officer\n\nChief Growth & Strategy Officer Dominic Dragisich Appointed Interim Chief\nExecutive Officer\n\nCompany Reaffirms Full Year 2026 Financial Guidance\n\nNORTH BETHESDA, Md., May 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Choice Hotels International,\nInc. (\"Choice Hotels\" or \"the Company\") (NYSE: CHH), one of the world's\nlargest lodging franchisors, today announced a leadership transition under\nwhich Patrick Pacious will step down as President and Chief Executive Officer.\nPacious will serve as an advisor to the Company through August 31, 2026, to\nsupport the transition. The Company's Board of Directors has appointed Dominic\nDragisich, Chief Growth & Strategy Officer, as Interim Chief Executive\nOfficer, effective May 20, 2026.\n\n(https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2984700/Choice_Hotels_Logo.html)\n\nThe Board will conduct a comprehensive search in partnership with a leading\nexecutive search firm to identify the Company's next Chief Executive Officer\nand will consider all qualified internal and external candidates.\n\nOver the course of his nearly 21-year tenure with Choice Hotels, including as\nPresident and Chief Executive Officer since 2017, Pacious has led a period of\nsignificant growth and transformation for the Company. Under his leadership,\nChoice Hotels expanded its portfolio from 11 to 22 brands, grew its presence\nin the upscale and extended-stay segments through the acquisitions of\nWoodSpring Suites and Radisson Hotels Americas, established a high growth\ndirect franchising international platform, advanced franchisee-focused\ntechnology and digital initiatives, and more than doubled adjusted EBITDA.\n\n\"Leading Choice Hotels has been the greatest privilege of my career,\" said\nPacious. \"Together, we have built a higher-quality portfolio of hotels, a more\naccretive, diverse pipeline, and a capital-light model that enables the\nCompany to capture significant opportunities ahead. Having laid the foundation\nfor a customer-centric, AI-enabled business, in alignment with our long-term\nstrategic plan, now is the right time for a new leader to guide Choice Hotels\ninto its next phase of growth. I look forward to partnering with the Board,\nDom and the entire leadership team to facilitate a smooth transition.\"\n\n\"Pat's leadership has helped define a new era for Choice Hotels. Through\nstrategic acquisitions, disciplined portfolio growth, international expansion,\nand a relentless focus on franchisee success, Choice has become a more\nresilient and diversified company,\" said Stewart W. Bainum, Jr., Chairman of\nthe Board of Directors for Choice Hotels International. \"On behalf of the\nBoard, the Bainum family and other shareholders, we thank Pat for his\nleadership, vision, and many contributions.\"\n\nBainum added, \"Choice Hotels is a stronger Company today with a solid\noperational and financial foundation, a talented leadership team and\nsignificant long-term growth potential. The Board has full confidence in Dom's\nleadership and the Company's continued momentum as we conduct a comprehensive\nsearch process for Choice's next CEO.\"\n\nBefore becoming Chief Growth & Strategy Officer, Dragisich previously\nserved as EVP, Operations and Chief Global Brand Officer and as the Company's\nChief Financial Officer from 2017 to 2023. Dragisich has helped lead the\nCompany's strategic evolution, overseeing transformative acquisitions and\nother major growth initiatives to enhance long-term value.\n\n\"I am honored to step into the role of Interim CEO and look forward to\nbuilding on the Company's strong foundation. We remain focused on delivering\nlong-term value for our franchisees and shareholders and creating great\nexperiences for our guests and associates,\" said Dragisich.\n\nReaffirms Full-Year 2026 Outlook\nIn connection with today's announcement, the Company is reaffirming its\nfull-year 2026 financial outlook provided in the Company's first quarter 2026\nearnings results reported on April 30, 2026. The Company remains focused on\nexecuting its strategic priorities, driving franchisee success, and delivering\nlong-term shareholder value.\n\nAbout Choice Hotels®\nChoice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), is one of the largest lodging\nfranchisors in the world, with over 7,500 hotels, representing more than\n650,000 rooms, in 51 countries and territories. A wide-ranging portfolio of 22\nbrands that includes full-service upper upscale, midscale, extended stay, and\neconomy properties enables Choice® to meet travelers' needs in more places\nand for more occasions while driving more value for franchise owners and\nshareholders. The award-winning Choice Privileges® rewards program and\nco-brand credit card options provide members with a fast and easy way to earn\nreward nights and personalized perks. For more information, visit\nwww.choicehotels.com (http://www.choicehotels.com) .\n\nForward-looking Statements\nInformation set forth herein includes \"forward-looking statements.\" Certain,\nbut not necessarily all, of such forward-looking statements can be identified\nby the use of forward-looking terminology, such as \"expect,\" \"estimate,\"\n\"believe,\" \"anticipate,\" \"should,\" \"will,\" \"forecast,\" \"plan,\" \"project,\"\n\"assume,\" or similar words of futurity. All statements other than historical\nfacts are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are\nbased on management's current beliefs, assumptions, and expectations regarding\nfuture events, which in turn are based on information currently available to\nmanagement. Such statements may relate to Choice's financial outlook, adjusted\nEBITDA, leadership transition process, strategic plans, artificial\nintelligence technologies, value creation, growth rate and plans related\nthereto, among other matters. We caution you not to place undue reliance on\nany such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements do not\nguarantee future performance and involve known and unknown risks,\nuncertainties, and other factors.\n\nSeveral factors could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to\ndiffer materially from those expressed in or contemplated by the\nforward-looking statements. Such risks include, but are not limited to,\nchanges to general, U.S. and foreign economic conditions, including access to\nliquidity and capital; changes in consumer demand and confidence, including\nconsumer discretionary spending and the demand for travel, transient and group\nbusiness; the timing and amount of future dividends and share repurchases;\nfuture U.S. or global outbreaks of epidemics, pandemics or contagious diseases\nor fear of such outbreaks, and the related impact on the global hospitality\nindustry, particularly but not exclusively the U.S. travel market; changes in\nlaw and regulation applicable to the travel, lodging or franchising\nindustries, including with respect to the status of our relationship with\nemployees of our franchisees; the potential impact of new laws and regulations\ngenerally, including, without limitation, those relating to taxes, wages,\nlabor and immigration; foreign currency fluctuations; changes in global\ninterest rates and rate differentials; variability and unpredictability in\ntrade relations, sanctions, tariffs or other trade controls; the federal\ngovernment funding lapse and related government shutdowns; impairments or\ndeclines in the value of our assets; our assumptions underlying our critical\naccounting estimates; operating risks common in the travel, lodging or\nfranchising industries; changes to the desirability of our brands as viewed by\nhotel operators and customers; changes to the terms or termination of our\ncontracts with franchisees and our relationships with our franchisees; our\nability to keep pace with improvements in technology utilized for our\nmarketing and reservation systems and other operating systems; our ability to\ngrow our franchise system; exposure to risks related to our hotel development,\nfinancing, franchise agreement acquisition costs and ownership activities;\nexposures to risks associated with our investments in new businesses;\nfluctuations in the supply and demand for hotel rooms; our ability to realize\nanticipated benefits from acquired businesses; impairments or losses relating\nto acquired businesses; the level of acceptance of alternative growth\nstrategies we may implement; the impact of inflation; cyber security and data\nbreach risks; introduction and integration of artificial intelligence\ntechnologies; climate change; our sustainability strategy; ownership and\nfinancing activities; hotel closures or financial difficulties of our\nfranchisees; operating risks associated with our international operations;\npolitical instability, conflicts and terrorism; labor shortages; the outcome\nof litigation; and our ability to effectively manage our indebtedness and\nsecure our indebtedness.\n\nThese and other risk factors are discussed in detail in the company's filings\nwith the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report\non Form 10-K. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any\nforward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future\nevents or otherwise, except as required by law.\n\nInvestor Contact\nAllie Summers, Senior Director, Investor Relations\nIR@choicehotels.com (mailto:IR@choicehotels.com)\n\nMedia Contact\nDana Stambaugh, Senior Director, Strategic Communications & PR\nMediaRelations@choicehotels.com (mailto:MediaRelations@choicehotels.com)\n\nView original content to download\nmultimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/choice-hotels-international-announces-ceo-transition-302778148.html\n(https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/choice-hotels-international-announces-ceo-transition-302778148.html)\n\nSOURCE Choice Hotels International, Inc.\n\n\n\nPhoto: \nhttps://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2984700/Choice_Hotels_Logo.jpg\n\nCopyright (c) 2026 PR Newswire Association,LLC. All Rights Reserved.","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nPn3md1X1a","title":"Choice Hotels International Announces CEO Transition","author":"PR Newswire","ticker":"CHH","created":"2026-05-20T20:05:00.261Z","tickers":["CHH"],"exchange":"NYSE","article_body":"Choice Hotels International Announces CEO Transition\n\nPR Newswire\n\nNORTH BETHESDA, Md., May 20, 2026\n\nPatrick Pacious Steps Down as President and Chief Executive Officer\n\nChief Growth & Strategy Officer Dominic Dragisich Appointed Interim Chief\nExecutive Officer\n\nCompany Reaffirms Full Year 2026 Financial Guidance\n\nNORTH BETHESDA, Md., May 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Choice Hotels International,\nInc. (\"Choice Hotels\" or \"the Company\") (NYSE: CHH), one of the world's\nlargest lodging franchisors, today announced a leadership transition under\nwhich Patrick Pacious will step down as President and Chief Executive Officer.\nPacious will serve as an advisor to the Company through August 31, 2026, to\nsupport the transition. The Company's Board of Directors has appointed Dominic\nDragisich, Chief Growth & Strategy Officer, as Interim Chief Executive\nOfficer, effective May 20, 2026.\n\n(https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2984700/Choice_Hotels_Logo.html)\n\nThe Board will conduct a comprehensive search in partnership with a leading\nexecutive search firm to identify the Company's next Chief Executive Officer\nand will consider all qualified internal and external candidates.\n\nOver the course of his nearly 21-year tenure with Choice Hotels, including as\nPresident and Chief Executive Officer since 2017, Pacious has led a period of\nsignificant growth and transformation for the Company. Under his leadership,\nChoice Hotels expanded its portfolio from 11 to 22 brands, grew its presence\nin the upscale and extended-stay segments through the acquisitions of\nWoodSpring Suites and Radisson Hotels Americas, established a high growth\ndirect franchising international platform, advanced franchisee-focused\ntechnology and digital initiatives, and more than doubled adjusted EBITDA.\n\n\"Leading Choice Hotels has been the greatest privilege of my career,\" said\nPacious. \"Together, we have built a higher-quality portfolio of hotels, a more\naccretive, diverse pipeline, and a capital-light model that enables the\nCompany to capture significant opportunities ahead. Having laid the foundation\nfor a customer-centric, AI-enabled business, in alignment with our long-term\nstrategic plan, now is the right time for a new leader to guide Choice Hotels\ninto its next phase of growth. I look forward to partnering with the Board,\nDom and the entire leadership team to facilitate a smooth transition.\"\n\n\"Pat's leadership has helped define a new era for Choice Hotels. Through\nstrategic acquisitions, disciplined portfolio growth, international expansion,\nand a relentless focus on franchisee success, Choice has become a more\nresilient and diversified company,\" said Stewart W. Bainum, Jr., Chairman of\nthe Board of Directors for Choice Hotels International. \"On behalf of the\nBoard, the Bainum family and other shareholders, we thank Pat for his\nleadership, vision, and many contributions.\"\n\nBainum added, \"Choice Hotels is a stronger Company today with a solid\noperational and financial foundation, a talented leadership team and\nsignificant long-term growth potential. The Board has full confidence in Dom's\nleadership and the Company's continued momentum as we conduct a comprehensive\nsearch process for Choice's next CEO.\"\n\nBefore becoming Chief Growth & Strategy Officer, Dragisich previously\nserved as EVP, Operations and Chief Global Brand Officer and as the Company's\nChief Financial Officer from 2017 to 2023. Dragisich has helped lead the\nCompany's strategic evolution, overseeing transformative acquisitions and\nother major growth initiatives to enhance long-term value.\n\n\"I am honored to step into the role of Interim CEO and look forward to\nbuilding on the Company's strong foundation. We remain focused on delivering\nlong-term value for our franchisees and shareholders and creating great\nexperiences for our guests and associates,\" said Dragisich.\n\nReaffirms Full-Year 2026 Outlook\nIn connection with today's announcement, the Company is reaffirming its\nfull-year 2026 financial outlook provided in the Company's first quarter 2026\nearnings results reported on April 30, 2026. The Company remains focused on\nexecuting its strategic priorities, driving franchisee success, and delivering\nlong-term shareholder value.\n\nAbout Choice Hotels®\nChoice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), is one of the largest lodging\nfranchisors in the world, with over 7,500 hotels, representing more than\n650,000 rooms, in 51 countries and territories. A wide-ranging portfolio of 22\nbrands that includes full-service upper upscale, midscale, extended stay, and\neconomy properties enables Choice® to meet travelers' needs in more places\nand for more occasions while driving more value for franchise owners and\nshareholders. The award-winning Choice Privileges® rewards program and\nco-brand credit card options provide members with a fast and easy way to earn\nreward nights and personalized perks. For more information, visit\nwww.choicehotels.com (http://www.choicehotels.com) .\n\nForward-looking Statements\nInformation set forth herein includes \"forward-looking statements.\" Certain,\nbut not necessarily all, of such forward-looking statements can be identified\nby the use of forward-looking terminology, such as \"expect,\" \"estimate,\"\n\"believe,\" \"anticipate,\" \"should,\" \"will,\" \"forecast,\" \"plan,\" \"project,\"\n\"assume,\" or similar words of futurity. All statements other than historical\nfacts are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are\nbased on management's current beliefs, assumptions, and expectations regarding\nfuture events, which in turn are based on information currently available to\nmanagement. Such statements may relate to Choice's financial outlook, adjusted\nEBITDA, leadership transition process, strategic plans, artificial\nintelligence technologies, value creation, growth rate and plans related\nthereto, among other matters. We caution you not to place undue reliance on\nany such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements do not\nguarantee future performance and involve known and unknown risks,\nuncertainties, and other factors.\n\nSeveral factors could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to\ndiffer materially from those expressed in or contemplated by the\nforward-looking statements. Such risks include, but are not limited to,\nchanges to general, U.S. and foreign economic conditions, including access to\nliquidity and capital; changes in consumer demand and confidence, including\nconsumer discretionary spending and the demand for travel, transient and group\nbusiness; the timing and amount of future dividends and share repurchases;\nfuture U.S. or global outbreaks of epidemics, pandemics or contagious diseases\nor fear of such outbreaks, and the related impact on the global hospitality\nindustry, particularly but not exclusively the U.S. travel market; changes in\nlaw and regulation applicable to the travel, lodging or franchising\nindustries, including with respect to the status of our relationship with\nemployees of our franchisees; the potential impact of new laws and regulations\ngenerally, including, without limitation, those relating to taxes, wages,\nlabor and immigration; foreign currency fluctuations; changes in global\ninterest rates and rate differentials; variability and unpredictability in\ntrade relations, sanctions, tariffs or other trade controls; the federal\ngovernment funding lapse and related government shutdowns; impairments or\ndeclines in the value of our assets; our assumptions underlying our critical\naccounting estimates; operating risks common in the travel, lodging or\nfranchising industries; changes to the desirability of our brands as viewed by\nhotel operators and customers; changes to the terms or termination of our\ncontracts with franchisees and our relationships with our franchisees; our\nability to keep pace with improvements in technology utilized for our\nmarketing and reservation systems and other operating systems; our ability to\ngrow our franchise system; exposure to risks related to our hotel development,\nfinancing, franchise agreement acquisition costs and ownership activities;\nexposures to risks associated with our investments in new businesses;\nfluctuations in the supply and demand for hotel rooms; our ability to realize\nanticipated benefits from acquired businesses; impairments or losses relating\nto acquired businesses; the level of acceptance of alternative growth\nstrategies we may implement; the impact of inflation; cyber security and data\nbreach risks; introduction and integration of artificial intelligence\ntechnologies; climate change; our sustainability strategy; ownership and\nfinancing activities; hotel closures or financial difficulties of our\nfranchisees; operating risks associated with our international operations;\npolitical instability, conflicts and terrorism; labor shortages; the outcome\nof litigation; and our ability to effectively manage our indebtedness and\nsecure our indebtedness.\n\nThese and other risk factors are discussed in detail in the company's filings\nwith the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report\non Form 10-K. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any\nforward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future\nevents or otherwise, except as required by law.\n\nInvestor Contact\nAllie Summers, Senior Director, Investor Relations\nIR@choicehotels.com (mailto:IR@choicehotels.com)\n\nMedia Contact\nDana Stambaugh, Senior Director, Strategic Communications & PR\nMediaRelations@choicehotels.com (mailto:MediaRelations@choicehotels.com)\n\nView original content to download\nmultimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/choice-hotels-international-announces-ceo-transition-302778148.html\n(https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/choice-hotels-international-announces-ceo-transition-302778148.html)\n\nSOURCE Choice Hotels International, Inc.\n\n\n\nPhoto: \nhttps://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2984700/Choice_Hotels_Logo.jpg\n\nCopyright (c) 2026 PR Newswire Association,LLC. All Rights Reserved."},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-05-20T20:05:00.291702284Z","server_sent_at_ms":1779307500291},"received_at":"2026-05-20T20:05:00.546Z","source_url":"https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/choice-hotels-international-announces-ceo-transition-302778148.html"},"analysis":{"id":"30667","press_release_id":"41228","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure","sector":"Consumer Discretionary"},"redFlags":[],"eventType":"executive_change","narrative":"Patrick Pacious is stepping down as CEO of Choice Hotels after nearly 21 years, with Dominic Dragisich appointed as Interim CEO effective immediately.\n\nDragisich, formerly the company's CFO and Chief Growth & Strategy Officer, will lead the company while the Board conducts a comprehensive search for a permanent successor.\n\nThe company reaffirmed its full-year 2026 financial guidance, signaling that the leadership transition is not expected to derail near-term operational or financial targets.","sentiment":"neutral","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":true,"suggestedAngle":"Planned CEO transition at Choice Hotels; interim leader is former CFO, guidance reaffirmed."},"keyFigures":{"customDimensions":{"room_count":650000,"brand_count":22,"hotel_count":7500,"tenure_years":21,"country_count":51}},"quotedText":"Having laid the foundation for a customer-centric, AI-enabled business, in alignment with our long-term strategic plan, now is the right time for a new leader to guide Choice Hotels into its next phase of growth.","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Patrick Pacious","role":"Outgoing CEO"},{"name":"Dominic Dragisich","role":"Interim CEO"},{"name":"Stewart W. Bainum, Jr.","role":"Chairman of the Board"},{"name":"Allie Summers","role":"Senior Director, Investor Relations"},{"name":"Dana Stambaugh","role":"Senior Director, Strategic Communications & PR"}],"products":["Choice Privileges"],"companies":[{"name":"Choice Hotels International, Inc.","ticker":"CHH"},{"name":"WoodSpring Suites","relationship":"acquired asset"},{"name":"Radisson Hotels Americas","relationship":"acquired asset"}],"dollarAmounts":[]},"materialImpact":{"score":3,"reasoning":"CEO departure is a significant leadership event, but the appointment of a known internal executive (former CFO) as interim CEO and the reaffirmation of full-year guidance mitigate uncertainty. This is a planned transition rather than a sudden ouster."},"tickerRelevance":{"others":[],"primary":"CHH"},"globalImportance":45,"audienceRelevance":50,"eventTypeSecondary":["guidance_update"],"importanceComponents":{"tickerTier":"large-cap","eventGravity":"high","sectorWeight":"moderate","mitigatingFactors":"internal_interim","guidanceReaffirmation":true}},"event_type":"executive_change","event_type_secondary":["guidance_update"],"sentiment":"neutral","material_impact_score":3,"narrative":"Patrick Pacious is stepping down as CEO of Choice Hotels after nearly 21 years, with Dominic Dragisich appointed as Interim CEO effective immediately.\n\nDragisich, formerly the company's CFO and Chief Growth & Strategy Officer, will lead the company while the Board conducts a comprehensive search for a permanent successor.\n\nThe company reaffirmed its full-year 2026 financial guidance, signaling that the leadership transition is not expected to derail near-term operational or financial targets.","key_figures":{"customDimensions":{"room_count":650000,"brand_count":22,"hotel_count":7500,"tenure_years":21,"country_count":51}},"named_entities":{"people":[{"name":"Patrick Pacious","role":"Outgoing CEO"},{"name":"Dominic Dragisich","role":"Interim CEO"},{"name":"Stewart W. Bainum, Jr.","role":"Chairman of the Board"},{"name":"Allie Summers","role":"Senior Director, Investor Relations"},{"name":"Dana Stambaugh","role":"Senior Director, Strategic Communications & PR"}],"products":["Choice Privileges"],"companies":[{"name":"Choice Hotels International, Inc.","ticker":"CHH"},{"name":"WoodSpring Suites","relationship":"acquired asset"},{"name":"Radisson Hotels Americas","relationship":"acquired asset"}],"dollarAmounts":[]},"model_name":"qwen3_6_27b_awq","prompt_hash":"sha256:727b4b9429a443af","schema_hash":"sha256:05005c02d9cffac9","created_at":"2026-05-20T20:06:58.654Z","global_importance":45,"audience_relevance":50,"importance_components":{"tickerTier":"large-cap","eventGravity":"high","sectorWeight":"moderate","mitigatingFactors":"internal_interim","guidanceReaffirmation":true}},"durationMs":38280,"modelName":"george-droid-qwen-72b"}}