Cecil Staton has been appointed President & CEO at Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA)
Following a vote by the AAHOA Board of Directors, Cecil Staton will be the new president and CEO of AAHOA, the nation's largest hotel owners association, effective November 18.
Staton will succeed Rachel Humphrey, who served in the role in an interim capacity for most of 2019. Humphrey will resume her duties as the association's COO. Staton, most recently the chancellor emeritus at East Carolina University (ECU) in Greenville, NC, brings decades of experience in the fields of government, academia, and business to AAHOA.
Staton served as the 11th Chancellor at ECU from 2016 to 2019 where he launched several initiatives to elevate the university's national and international profile, increase enrollment in the Brody School of Medicine, and create a $500 million capital campaign. Previously, he served as interim president of Valdosta State University, and as vice chancellor for extended education with the University System of Georgia. In addition to his work in academia, Staton served five terms in the Georgia State Senate where he rose to the position of majority whip. His entrepreneurial ventures include founding two publishing companies and Georgia Eagle Media, Inc., a holding company with interests in multiple broadcast and print mediums. Staton sits on the boards for NAFSA: Association of International Educators and the University of Georgia Board of Visitors.
Staton's hiring concludes a comprehensive nationwide search that began earlier this year. An AAHOA Executive Search Committee, comprised of AAHOA executives, officers, and executives from key industry partners, worked with consulting firm Korn Ferry to identify candidates and conduct extensive in-depth interviews with each. The committee unanimously recommended Staton to the AAHOA Board of Directors.
