Choice Hotels Names Dominic Dragisich Permanent CEO

Choice Hotels International has named Dominic Dragisich as President and CEO, effective August 31, 2026, making permanent a role he had held on an interim basis since May. Dragisich has also joined the company's board of directors as part of the transition. The appointment follows a formal board search and keeps leadership inside a nearly decade-long veteran of the organization.

A Decade of Internal Experience

Dragisich has held senior roles at Choice Hotels for close to ten years, including chief financial officer, executive vice president of operations, chief global brand officer, and chief growth and strategy officer. That combination gives him direct exposure to both the financial and commercial sides of a business built almost entirely on franchising. His prior work also touched acquisitions and strategic initiatives as the company expanded its brand portfolio.

Why Continuity Matters for Franchisees

Choice Hotels operates through a predominantly franchise-led model, where corporate strategy, brand performance, development, and franchisee economics are tightly linked. Promoting an executive who already understands the portfolio and development pipeline, rather than bringing in an outsider, reduces the transition risk a new hotel franchisor CEO often creates for existing owners mid-negotiation on renovations or new builds.

What Comes Next

Board chairman Stewart Bainum Jr. backed the appointment, pointing to Dragisich's breadth across finance, operations, and brand leadership as the right fit for the company's next growth phase. For franchisees, the priority now shifts to how quickly Dragisich translates that operating history into faster development decisions and clearer support as the hotel industry navigates uneven travel demand and rising construction costs.