Choice Hotels Franchise Promotes Kelly Poling to Vice President, Marketing & Distribution Strategy

By: Choice Hotels | 2 Shares 97 Reads

SILVER SPRING, Md. // PRNewswire // -- Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) today announced that it has promoted Kelly Poling to vice president, marketing and distribution strategy. Poling will now report to Mary Beth Knight, senior vice president of marketing and distribution for Choice Hotels.

In her new position, Poling will play a key role in supporting the company's marketing and distribution organization. She will direct the strategic planning process for the department, establish and optimize the allocation of marketing and reservations fund resources to the functional areas, and work with the organization's advertising agency on the ongoing creative execution of marketing plans. Poling will also work closely with leaders within Choice's brands organization to ensure the proper integration of marketing and distribution to support the company's overall marketing efforts and business delivery across all brands.

"Kelly is a natural fit for this position, and her promotion recognizes the many contributions she has made to Choice's companywide strategic planning efforts," said Knight. "Kelly will be tasked with leading the strategic process to create meaningful positioning for ChoiceHotels.com in order to drive more business to Choice-branded properties through direct channels, as well as to expand the reach of our marketing programs and brand messages through more cost-effective electronic channels."

Poling joined Choice in 2006 and most recently served as senior director of corporate strategy. In that position, she had a key role in developing the organization's strategic plan and served as an internal consultant on strategic functional-level projects.

Prior to joining Choice, Poling served as associate product director for Johnson & Johnson, managing multiple products with full profit and loss responsibility. She holds a master's degree in business administration from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor's degree in international business from George Washington University.

About Choice Hotels

Choice Hotels International, Inc. franchises more than 6,000 hotels, representing more than 490,000 rooms, in the United States and more than 35 other countries and territories. As of June 30, 2010, more than 580 hotels are under construction, awaiting conversion or approved for development in the United States, representing more than 47,000 rooms, and approximately 100 hotels, representing approximately 8,700 rooms, are under construction, awaiting conversion or approved for development in 20 other countries and territories. The company's Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inn brands serve guests worldwide. In addition, via its Ascend Collection membership program, travelers in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean have upscale lodging options at historic, boutique and unique hotels.

Choice Hotels, Choice Hotels International, Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn and Ascend Collection are proprietary trademarks and service marks of Choice Hotels International.

© 2010 Choice Hotels International, Inc. All rights reserved.

SOURCE Choice Hotels International, Inc.

###