Student Ambassadors

Shaun Smithson
Center for Distance Learning
B.S., Business, Management and Economics
shaun_smithson@choicehotels.com
Shaun Smithson is the Senior Director of Opening Services with Choice Hotels International. Shaun joined Choice in early 2006, focusing on portfolio management in the brand strategy department and recently took over the opening team to help direct the company’s unit growth and brand consistency strategies. Smithson comes to Choice Hotels with a diverse hospitality background, most recently as Senior Director, Hotel Performance Support with Hilton Hotels Inc, within the Hilton Garden Inn brand, where he drove brand management and strategy to help build the Hilton Garden Inn brand to 270 properties upon his departure. His focus will be on franchisee retention, product quality and alignment, and portfolio synergies for Choice’s core brands.

Prior to his five years with Hilton Hotels, Smithson was with LRA Worldwide, as a consultant within the quality assurance programs for brands such as Sheraton, Hilton and Radisson. Additionally, Smithson brings significant experience managing properties for Holiday Inn Worldwide and Homestead Village, as well as ownership and executive management in restaurants in Atlanta and Orlando.

Smithson began his hospitality career with Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL in the chef apprenticeship program, earning his Certified Cook certificate while at Disney. He is a graduate of State University of New York – Empire State College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.