Holiday Inn Club Vacations promotes John Staten to CEO

Holiday Inn Club Vacations Incorporated (HICV) has revealed that Tom Nelson, its CEO, will retire at the end of this year after a 35-year career, nearly 20 of which were in senior leadership positions at HICV. John Staten, currently the company’s president/COO, will succeed Nelson, assuming the role of president/CEO, effective July 1.

During Nelson’s tenure at HICV, the company has grown from its flagship Orange Lake Resort in Orlando to a network of 28 resorts from coast to coast. He started at HICV in 2003 as CFO, and was promoted to president/COO in 2012 and then CEO in 2017.

“Tom’s contributions to HICV’s success have been both innumerable and profound,” said Spence Wilson, HICV chairman of the board. “The growth in our business is a testament to his steady, focused and dedicated leadership, and we are most grateful to him.”

Staten joined HICV as COO in March 2019. He was promoted to president in September 2020. Prior to HICV, he held numerous senior leadership roles over 30 years, launching and growing businesses, developing strategies and teams, and mobilizing organizations into action, from startups to companies with more than 7,500 employees, according to the company.

“HICV will be in great hands with John at the helm,” said Nelson. “I knew he would be an invaluable member of the HICV family when I first met him more than three years ago. Since then, he has been an impressive and proven leader, involved in every aspect of the business and playing a direct role in every material decision we have made to position the company for a bright future. Importantly, from day one, he has been a trusted advisor, partner, and friend.”

Wilson said, “I’ve known and worked with John for more than a decade. He has done a tremendous job spearheading and driving numerous key initiatives across HICV that have helped transform every corner of the organization, making the customer experience exceptional and positioning us for sustained growth well into the future. John’s continued leadership in growing our members, our people, guest love, and number of resorts will be of critical importance as we author the next exciting chapter in the HICV story.”

“Our future is very bright, and the path forward is clear, thanks in no small measure to Tom’s leadership,” said Staten. “He has been a great business partner and valued friend. Still, our team’s work is far from finished. There is much to do as we continuously endeavor to be the most loved brand in family travel by making every experience easy, amazing and unforgettable.”

Nelson will continue to lead the company’s strategic acquisition activities through the end of the year. He will serve in an advisory role supporting the company through the end of 2023.