 |
Strategic Advisor and Former President & CEO
Patrick Pacious is a strategic advisor and former President and Chief Executive Officer of Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the largest and most successful lodging franchisors in the world. He currently serves on the boards of directors of Choice Hotels and Valvoline Inc. (NYSE: VVV).
Mr. Pacious’s more than 20-year tenure at Choice Hotels, including nine years as President and CEO, has been marked by growth, innovation, and effectively anticipating and capitalizing on industry trends. Under his leadership, Choice Hotels built a higher-quality portfolio of hotels, a more accretive and diverse pipeline, and a proven capital-light model as it expanded from 11 to 22 brands, strengthened its position in upscale and extended stay, and created a high-growth international platform. Operating at the intersection of hospitality, franchising, and technology, the company also delivered industry-first digital capabilities for franchisees and guests. This focus laid the foundation for Choice Hotels’ evolution to a guest-centric, AI-enabled business positioned for its next chapter of growth.
In 2022, Mr. Pacious led the company’s successful acquisition of the Radisson Hotels Americas brands, the most significant transaction in Choice Hotels’ history, and subsequently drove a dramatic turnaround of the portfolio’s profitability. While driving growth in the company’s core midscale and economy segments, he also positioned Choice Hotels as a leader in extended stay with the acquisition of WoodSpring Suites in 2018 and the launch of Everhome Suites in 2020.
In 2020, Mr. Pacious guided the company through the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, delivering results that outperformed the industry and made Choice Hotels the first major hotel company to return to pre-pandemic performance levels in 2021.
Mr. Pacious was named Lodging Magazine’s “Person of the Year” in 2022, and Choice Hotels garnered numerous accolades under his leadership, including being named to Forbes’s list of “America’s Best Midsize Employers” in 2026 and to TIME’s list of “America’s Best Midsize Companies” in 2025.
Mr. Pacious joined Choice Hotels in 2005 and served as President and CEO from September 2017 to May 2026. Earlier in his career, he held senior roles at BearingPoint and Arthur Andersen, where he advised senior executives and boards of directors across a range of major clients, including Choice Hotels and other leading hotel companies. His expertise and global business experience led him to provide testimony before both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate on performance management and privatization issues.
Mr. Pacious began his career in the U.S. Navy as an officer in surface warfare and strategic planning. He holds a BA from Duke University and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
The Radisson brands, including Park Plaza, Country Inn & Suites, and Park Inn by Radisson, are owned in the Americas regions by Choice Hotels. Outside of the Americas, the brands are owned by Radisson Hotel Group, an unaffiliated company headquartered in Belgium.
We redesigned the new CH.com with the latest technology. This makes it way faster and easier for you to use.
Sadly, the browser you are currently using does not support our new technology. Please download one of the awesome browsers below and you'll be on your way.
