Overview
- On Wednesday, May 20, 2026 Choice Hotels announced that Patrick Pacious will step down as president and chief executive officer and will serve as an advisor through August 31, 2026 to support the handoff.
- The board appointed Chief Growth & Strategy Officer Dominic Dragisich as interim CEO effective May 20, 2026 based on his prior roles overseeing operations, brands and finance at the company.
- The board has engaged a leading executive search firm to run a comprehensive search that will consider qualified internal and external candidates for the permanent CEO role.
- Choice reaffirmed the full-year 2026 financial guidance first issued with its April 30, 2026 first-quarter results to underscore stability during the leadership change.
- Under Pacious’s nearly 21-year tenure Choice expanded from 11 to 22 brands, made major acquisitions and more than doubled adjusted EBITDA, a strategic foundation the company says the next leader will continue to build on.