US: Extended Stay America has appointed Mark Williams as managing director, franchise development.
Williams will be responsible for continuing to grow ESA’s footprint throughout North America through franchise conversions and new-build properties. He will report directly to Judi Bikulege, chief investment officer, who will lead the company’s franchising business.
Prior to joining ESA, Williams served as SVP for Radisson Hotel Group, overseeing franchise development for the eastern United States and Canada. He has also held senior franchise management positions at Red Lion, Vantage Hospitality, G6 Hospitality, and Best Western International.
Williams described extended stay as “a segment that will grow and is ready for everybody to jump on board; I wouldn’t say it is recession-proof, but it has more legs than any other segment in the industry. We have a great opportunity. We are in 41 states. We are looking to expand that to make sure we are represented in every state in the U.S. This is strictly an American brand, and we are going to use every opportunity we can to expand the franchise relationship. I have been doing this for a number of years and I believe we have a great opportunity. We have a great pipeline, and granted, 2020 is a weird year, it is going to be tough, but we are excited.”</p
