From L to R: Jason Cowan, senior vice president, franchise development, signature brands, Choice Hotels; John Bonds, senior vice president, enterprise operations and technology, Choice Hotels; Pat Pacious, president and chief executive officer, Choice Hotels; Fredric Washington, managing partner, Southern Accommodations, LLC; Hemant Patel, regional vice president, franchise development, Florida, Georgia, and the Caribbean; David Pepper, chief development officer, Choice Hotels. — Photo by Choice

ROCKVILLE, - Choice Hotels International, Inc.'s (NYSE: CHH) one-of-a-kind emerging markets franchise development program has awarded a contract to Fredric Washington to develop six hotels. This new contract with an African American entrepreneur represents the largest minority multi-unit franchise agreement executed in the program's history.

"Choice Hotels has a longstanding, deep commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and we strive to make every associate, franchisee and guest feel welcome, wanted and respected — that's our brand promise," said Patrick Pacious, president and chief executive officer, Choice Hotels. "As part of that pledge, our emerging markets franchise development team is constantly working to help extend the opportunity of hotel ownership to those who have historically been less represented in the hospitality industry."

"For nearly 15 years, our emerging markets department has been working to help make small business ownership a reality for underrepresented minority entrepreneurs," said John Lancaster, regional vice president, emerging markets, franchise development and owner relationships. "We are extremely proud of our history as the only lodging company with a team dedicated exclusively to growing a diverse franchisee base, and this multi-unit agreement, which is the largest we have ever entered, is a great example of how we are trying to accomplish that."

The agreement with Washington, who is managing partner of Southern Accommodations, LLC and previously served as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development lead in Florida under Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, includes the following six hotels:

  • Sleep Inn - St. Augustine, Florida
  • Comfort Suites - Fort Myers, Florida
  • Sleep Inn - Fort Myers, Florida
  • MainStay Suites - Fort Myers, Florida
  • Sleep Inn - Ocala, Florida
  • MainStay Suites - Ocala, Florida

"It's historically significant that the first hotel in this multi-unit deal is owned by an African American in St. Augustine, where there have been several prominent acts of racial discrimination in this industry," said Washington. "This is a welcomed step forward and I appreciate the sincere collaboration with Choice Hotels to help address the racial divide that exists in our country by promoting African American hotel ownership. Choice leads the industry in creating true equity participation, and now I've experienced firsthand why — the company is not satisfied with hanging banners and coming up with logos, but they live inclusiveness and diversity every day."

Choice Hotels' emerging markets program has awarded and financially supported over 250 franchise agreements with underrepresented minority and veteran entrepreneurs in the program's history, including 34 deals last year alone. This year, the company has yielded 17 contracts so far, even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, including two additional contracts with Washington for a Comfort Suites and MainStay Suites in St. Augustine. For more information about the program and development opportunities, visit choicehotelsdevelopment.com/incentives.

About Choice Hotels®

Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) is one of the largest lodging franchisors in the world. The one to watch in upscale and a leader in midscale and extended stay, Choice® has nearly 7,500 hotels, representing more than 630,000 rooms, in 45 countries and territories. A diverse portfolio of 22 brands that range from full-service upper upscale properties to midscale, extended stay and economy enables Choice® to meet travelers' needs in more places and for more occasions while driving more value for franchise owners and shareholders. The award-winning Choice Privileges® rewards program and co-brand credit card options provide members with a fast and easy way to earn reward nights and personalized perks. For more information, visit www.choicehotels.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication includes "forward-looking statements" about future events, including anticipated development and hotel openings. Such statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including construction delays, availability and cost of financing and the other "Risk Factors" described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, any of which could cause actual results to be materially different from our expectations.

Addendum

This is not an offering. No offer or sale of a franchise will be made except by a Franchise Disclosure Document first filed and registered with applicable state authorities. A copy of the Franchise Disclosure Document can be obtained through contacting Choice Hotels International at 915 Meeting Street, Suite 600, North Bethesda, Maryland 20852 or by email at: [email protected].

Pearl Amaechi
+1 301 592 6122
Choice