Hotels & Resorts
This past week has brought several new appointments in hospitality development: a new SVP and chief development officer at Best Western Hotels & Resorts, a VP of business development at Concord Hospitality Enterprises and a business development coordinator at Hotel Equities.
Best Western Hotels & Resorts
Best Western Hotels & Resorts appointed Brad LeBlanc as the company’s new SVP/chief development officer. LeBlanc, with 30 years of hospitality experience, will oversee development in North America, reporting directly to President/CEO David Kong.
In his most recent position, LeBlanc worked as SVP/franchise and partner development for Serendipity Labs, a workspace brand with a hospitality focus. Before that, he spent nine years with Choice Hotels International, where he worked as VP/development. During his time there he helped launch the Cambria Suites brand and relaunched Sleep Inn & Suites.
Concord Hospitality Enterprises
Hotel management and development company Concord Hospitality Enterprises promoted Ryan Maher to VP/business development. Maher will manage business development, including new development, acquisitions and third-party management, across the company’s portfolio.
Maher has been with Concord since 2012, working on the development of new select-service and full-service properties. Before that, he served as a sales consultant for Cintas and operations manager for Washington Duke Inn and Golf Club.
Hotel Equities
Hotel Equities promoted Jack Meakin, a graduate of its manager-in-training program, to business development coordinator. In his new position he will work in owner relations, providing enhanced communications and data-driven recommendations. Based at the company’s headquarters in Atlanta, he will report directly to Hotel Equities’ chief development officer Joe Reardon.
Meakin joined the company’s manager-in-training program after graduating from the University of South Carolina with a degree in hospitality management. An associate in the program since 2018, he spent his time at the Residence Inn Atlanta-Perimeter Center/Dunwoody in Georgia, where he worked in hotel operations.