PHOENIX (August 1, 2016) – Dorothy Dowling, Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President for Best Western® Hotels & Resorts has been awarded the prestigious 2016 Applied Health Sciences Alumni Achievement Award from her esteemed alma mater, the University of Waterloo, in Ontario, Canada.
A 30-year hotel industry veteran, Dowling’s contributions to the hospitality field are significant. She currently directs all marketing and sales strategies, overseeing the brand’s loyalty program, consumer and field marketing activities, advertising and public relations. Her passion for marketing, dynamic leadership skills and profound dedication to her profession helped distinguish her in the field and continues to earn her honorable, industry-wide recognition.
The Applied Health Sciences Alumni Achievement Award recognizes University of Waterloo’s alumni who have made outstanding contributions to the health and wellbeing of society through their professional accomplishments, public service, and/or academic excellence.
“Dorothy is a valuable member of Best Western’s executive leadership team, and has been instrumental in the growth and success of our company,” said President and CEO for Best Western, David Kong. “We are fortunate to have Dorothy leading our marketing and sales efforts, and appreciate her extraordinary work ethic, valuable intellect and unparalleled commitment that help position Best Western as a leader in hospitality.”
This award is a welcomed addition to her impressive list of industry recognitions, including her title as the 18th Most Influential Chief Marketing Officer as named by Forbes Magazine, her receipt of the prestigious American Hotel Foundation Award for Best Practices in Guest Loyalty Programs, and being named twice in Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International’s Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing.
“To be recognized by the University of Waterloo is a tremendous honor, as it not only helped jumpstart my profession, but fostered special memories that I will always treasure,” said Dowling. “As Best Western celebrates its iconic brand refresh and its 70th birthday, I reflect on the valuable education and lessons learned that have led me to this point in my career.”
Since joining Best Western in 2004, Dowling has had a revolutionary impact on Best Western, spearheading initiatives that were critical to the success of the brand. Most recently, Dowling served a critical role in helping Best Western achieve its historic brand refresh. Best Western’s brand refresh marked a monumental milestone for the hospitality leader, introducing an updated masterbrand name, Best Western Hotels & Resorts, and unique logos for all seven distinct brands in its portfolio. The brand refresh is also accompanied by an investment of over $2 billion in property improvements and renovations by North American hotels, which align with Best Western’s new contemporary, energetic and relevant look.
During her tenure, she also introduced a number of measures to increase market share and contemporize the iconic Best Western brand. She re-branded the company’s loyalty program to Best Western Rewards®, increased its membership by 13 million and more than doubled its revenue contribution percentage to hotels.
Dowling has also overseen critical user experience improvements to the bestwestern.com booking channel, as well as the launch of multiple mobile initiatives, including the iPhone and Android application, Best Western to Go®. Under her leadership, Best Western has become a leading hotel player in digital marketing through innovative partnerships with TripAdvisor, Facebook and Google, among others.
