Marketing Chief to Leave Choice

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. October 14, 2008

JANUARY 8, 2007. Choice Hotels International has announced that Wayne Wielgus, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, will leave the company.

The move coincides with the company's recent reorganization to a brand-centric structure, which places more emphasis on driving product and brand differentiation and related strategies through four brand divisions.

Since joining Choice Hotels in 2000, Wielgus spearheaded numerous successful marketing programs, including the award winning Thanks for Traveling campaign and the current I've Been Everywhere advertising campaign. In addition, he developed invaluable partnerships with Bank of America, Little League Baseball, and more than 10 airlines, all of which increased Choice's incremental business and led the company's initiatives in the creation of a customer care program and the development and deployment of the company's hotel-level guest satisfaction system.

"Wayne has achieved a great deal during his tenure at Choice, including establishing a strong marketing team and helping the company sharpen its focus on and understanding of key customer groups," said Charles A. Ledsinger, Jr., vice chairman and CEO. "His leadership championed significant growth in our central reservations contribution, particularly through our proprietary Web site, choicehotels.com, and third-party partnerships.

"With the support of Wayne's leadership, Choice has been able to significantly increase its brand awareness, reach more guests and deliver more business to our franchisees and played a major role in our positive franchisee relationships," added Joseph M. Squeri, president and COO. "I, along with the rest of the company's management team, would like to thank him for his contributions to Choice's success over the past six years and wish him well in his future endeavors."

Wielgus will assist the company to ensure a smooth transition. The current marketing leaders will report on an interim basis to Joe Squeri. These leaders include Bill Carlson, senior vice president of consumer revenue growth; Mary Beth Knight, senior vice president of eCommerce; Allan Kane, vice president of worldwide sales and intermediary marketing; and Mark Weiner, vice president of customer care and reservations. In addition, Aaron Katz has joined the marketing team as vice president, strategic initiatives, to provide strategic oversight of the marketing and reservations budgets, resources and initiatives. This will include the development and communication of long-term marketing and reservations strategies, as well as helping to ensure that they are fully integrated and supportive of the company's overall strategic direction.

Choice announced its move to a brand-centric structure in October 2006. The new organizational structure consists of brand-category management teams, which include the company's upscale and extended stay market brands (Cambria Suites, MainStay Suites and Suburban Extended Stay Hotels), mid-market brands (Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites and Sleep Inn), full-service market brands and international operations (Quality Inn, Clarion, Clarion Collection and the company's international division), and the economy market brands (Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inn).