ROCKVILLE, MD—There’s what a job description outlines, and then there’s the interpretation of the role by the employee hired to fulfill it. Brian Quinn, Choice Hotel’s newly appointed VP of franchise development, doesn’t foresee himself in his own ivory tower. Quite the contrary, rather. The entrepreneurial dreams of the hospitality group’s franchisees are his motivation—and his continuing interactions with developers, franchise owners, associates and operators in new and different ways are part of his framework to success for all parties involved in Choice’s franchise system.
Brian Quinn
Choice Hotels
“Franchising continues to be the greatest opportunity for people to pursue the American Dream,” Quinn told Hotel Business, “Franchise systems like Choice create the possibility for entrepreneurs to be in business for themselves but not by themselves.”
The transition to Choice has been “incredibly smooth and, frankly, really inspiring,” Quinn said, voicing his enthusiasm about his new role. “I look forward to sharing the successes and generating excitement within the development community,” he said.
Quinn moved on to Choice after spending more than two years at RLHC (Red Lion Hotels Corporation) as the American hospitality company’s chief franchise officer. “I left Red Lion at the end of November to pursue a great opportunity and start new challenges with Choice,” he said. “I’m proud of my time at RLHC. We accomplished a lot, and I’m excited for the future.” The industry veteran didn’t comment on whether Red Lion’s acquisition of Vantage Hospitality Group Inc., which closed in September 2016, influenced his decision to depart from the organization.
“Brian’s extensive experience in all facets of development make him the best person to help lead our growth strategy and ensure Choice achieves its performance goals,” said David Pepper, chief development officer at the hospitality company.
What Quinn’s taking with him to his new post are lessons he’s learned from his time in hospitality, including his tenure at the Spokane, WA-based hospitality company, where he introduced the company’s first nationwide development team, launched its newest brand, and supported the acquisition and integration of Boomerang Hotels and Vantage. “One of the core values that stuck with me from all my experiences is making sure you stay close to both customers in this business—guests and franchisees,” he said.
Quinn also held various leadership roles in development, franchising and hotel operations with InterContinental Hotels Group, Hilton and Driftwood Hospitality Management.
Driving him to Choice was the leadership team, which he considers to be industry-leading. “I’ve always admired Choice from afar, and I had some great long-term relationships at Choice who shared the opportunity with me,” Quinn explained. “After speaking with Choice’s leadership, this role seemed like a perfect fit for me. I’m really happy to be here.”
What has impressed him about Choice: its domestic system-wide RevPAR continues to outperform the industry—which increased 4.5% in Q3, he noted. “In addition, its domestic pipeline of hotels has continued its strong growth and increased 20% in Q3 over the prior year,” Quinn said. “As well as all the innovation that is going on at Choice around revenue delivery and franchise relations.”
In his new role, he’s responsible for leading franchise development in the U.S. for Choice’s signature brands, including Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Sleep Inn, MainStay Suites and Suburban Extended Stay. He sees himself more as an evangelist of the Choice brand portfolio, with the responsibility of sharing success stories and the evolution happening across all the hospitality group’s brands. “I’ve spent my entire career in hospitality—frankly, because this is an industry that never gets boring,” he said. “The reason I love this role is because of the incredible variety it offers.”
Despite only having been at Choice for about a month or so, his direction for franchise development in the U.S. is clear: He has already designated a couple of major initiatives as his early priorities. One will be the brand evolution of Comfort brand and Sleep Inn hotels. “Guests who stay at these properties are noticing substantial changes to their guest experience,” he said. “The system-wide transformation is creating long-term brand performance and guest loyalty—two things our franchise partners love to see. I will continue to shepherd this transformation process as a priority.”
His second priority—telling Choice’s story to developers. “For example, as an organization, Choice is setting the industry standard for technology and developing tools for our franchisees to boost profitability and compete,” Quinn said. “We need to make sure people know this.” The relationship between the franchisee and the hospitality group is what matters to Choice, and it plans to grow its franchisee family with its new hire. “I’m committed to helping make Choice the lodging company of choice,” he said. “We do that by investing smartly in our hotels in an effort to both provide a superior experience for our customers and attract new hotel developers, as well as our existing franchisees, to continue to build our hotels in high-performing markets across the country. It’s my job to ensure our franchisees always see the value of Choice.”
With regard to what developers are recognizing most about Choice, Quinn pointed out several areas worth noting: the company’s strong RevPAR performance; the programs that enhance franchisee ROI, the smart brand strategies the company is activating against; the growth Choice has realized in the upscale segment; and the company’s enhanced loyalty program, which was redesigned last year.
“This is a smart, visionary company that is investing in the future,” he said. “When a company is committed to the future like Choice, that commitment offers leaders like myself a runway to make things happen. I’m looking forward to adding to the great Choice legacy by further igniting our development possibilities across the country.”
What franchisees want are brands able to withstand the pressures of any market, he explained. They are also looking for versatile and cost-effective brands they can invest in. “In my opinion, smart franchisees also are looking for a brand that has a look that is contemporary, but timeless,” Quinn said. “They want a brand that is universally appealing and will play well in a variety of locations—urban, suburban, airport.” But what any franchisee ultimately desires at the end of the day is a partner with “its own financial skin in the game that stands shoulder to shoulder with them,” he said.
For franchisees unfamiliar with the character of Choice’s new hire, he has a simple message: “I’m a straight-shooter. I’ve spent my career in the hospitality industry. I care about this space. I’m proud of the work I’ve been a part of and love how it’s evolving. I’ve seen a lot and like to think that means I have valuable perspective to share.” HB
