Choice Hotels International Inc. has revealed key executive appointments that position the company for continued future growth following its acquisition of Radisson Hotels Americas and the successful integration of its nine brands onto Choice’s central reservation system.
“Choice has always been a growth company, and that growth is now accelerating,” said Patrick Pacious, president/CEO, Choice Hotels. “We are a stronger company than we were just a year ago. Choice’s increased scope and the breadth of our portfolio give us new avenues for growth and an opportunity to expand and improve the services we provide to our franchisees, our guests, and our travel partners.”
As part of an evolution to a more flexible and agile organizational structure, Dominic Dragisich, who joined the company as CFO in 2017, will be promoted to EVP, operations/chief global brand officer. He will oversee all of Choice’s brand segments, brand development, segment services and corporate development. During his tenure as CFO, Dragisich enhanced and streamlined the company’s budgeting, forecasting and capital allocation processes, and led several major initiatives to support the company’s continued growth. Recently, he was instrumental in the acquisition of the Radisson Americas business and will continue to lead corporate development efforts.
“Dominic is a talented leader who excelled as CFO and has a deep understanding of the operational drivers of our business,” said Pacious. “I’m confident he will help drive our growth and performance to the next level in this important new role.”
Scott Oaksmith will be promoted from SVP/deputy CFO to CFO. In this role, he will lead Choice’s overall financial strategy and corporate growth initiatives to drive ongoing expansion across major markets and maximize shareholder value. A more-than-20-year veteran with Choice, Oaksmith has worked closely with key stakeholders to identify opportunities to grow the company’s core business and adjacent lines of business, streamlined financial operations, enhanced capital allocation strategies and utilized advanced analytics to drive strategic and operating decisions in support of the company’s goals.
“Scott has been an integral part of Choice’s success for more than two decades,” said Pacious. “He is the ideal person to lead our financial strategy during this crucial time for the company and well into the future.”
Raul Ramirez will be promoted from chief strategy and international operations officer to chief segment and international operations officer with responsibility for Choice’s upscale, extended-stay and core midscale and economy brands, as well as the International Division. Since he joined Choice in 2017, Ramirez has led the integration of the Radisson Americas brands and WoodSpring Suites; launched an enterprise strategic planning process to help define and support long-term business and financial goals; and spearheaded the transformation and expansion of the company’s International Division.
“Raul is a transformational leader who has his finger on the pulse of our franchisees,” said Pacious. “I can’t think of a better, more qualified individual for this role as we work to grow our brands and expand our international footprint.”
Anna Scozzafava will be promoted from SVP/general manager, extended stay brands to chief strategy officer/SVP, technology, overseeing Choice’s corporate strategy, business analytics and technology functions. She has been with the company since 2012 and, most recently, drove the growth and expansion of Choice’s extended-stay portfolio, helping to establish the company as a clear leader in the fast-growing, high-performing segment. She will continue to lead the segment through a transition period.
“Anna’s leadership is a big part of the reason Choice is a leader in extended-stay,” said Pacious. “I’m excited to now have her lead the development of strategies to propel the entire company forward.”
