PHOENIX, Arizona (April 8, 2019) – Best Western® Hotels & Resorts today announced that it has appointed Brad LeBlanc as Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer. LeBlanc will oversee North American development and will report directly to David Kong, President and CEO of Best Western Hotels & Resorts.

In recent years, Best Western has transformed into a modern and innovative global hospitality powerhouse with 16 distinctive brands in key markets across the world. Now boasting more than 4,500 properties in nearly 100 countries and territories worldwide, Best Western offers hotel solutions to suit guest and developer needs in every chain scale segment, from economy to luxury. As Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer, LeBlanc will be responsible for driving the growth of Best Western in North America across the company’s diverse portfolio of brands.

“Brad is a dynamic leader and will play a critical role in expanding today’s Best Western,” added Kong. “His proven track record of developing strategies that lead to growth and success, make him an ideal fit for the role. We are confident that Brad will help us advance Best Western in the North America market.”

An industry veteran with 30 years’ experience in hospitality, LeBlanc joins Best Western’s executive team with a wealth of knowledge and experience. Most recently, LeBlanc served as Senior Vice President of Franchise & Partner Development with Serendipity Labs, in the new shared workspace “Coworking" office segment with a network of hospitality-focused workspaces meeting demand for an expanding mobile workforce. Prior to that LeBlanc successfully built multiple lodging brands across North America in his position as Vice President of Development for Choice Hotels and U.S. Franchise Systems.

“I am excited to be joining the Best Western leadership team at such an important time in this history of transformation,” said LeBlanc. “Mr. Kong has cultivated one of the most innovative brands and teams in the hotel industry, and it is truly an honor to work alongside them. I am eager to hit the ground running and believe that by accelerating growth and increasing scale, we will undoubtedly grow the value of today’s Best Western.”