PHOENIX—Best Western Hotels & Resorts has promoted three members of its executive leadership team: Dorothy Dowling has been named SVP and chief marketing officer; Mark Straszynski will now serve as SVP and CFO; and Greg Adams has been promoted to VP and chief digital officer.
A 30-year hotel industry veteran who joined Best Western in 2004, Dowling is responsible for overseeing all marketing and sales strategies, as well as directing consumer and field marketing activities, advertising, public relations and e-commerce. Since joining the company, Dowling has reenergized Best Western’s loyalty program, grown the brand’s market share and undertaken several other major groundbreaking initiatives, according to the company. This included a comprehensive global brand refresh in 2015, a complete redesign of the brand’s digital platform, and the implementation of a “mobile first” strategy that will continue to evolve in the year ahead.
Straszynski brings extensive experience in global finance to Best Western. As SVP and CFO, Straszynski oversees all finance operations, accounting, treasury, risk management, and strategic planning. According to the company, as part of the company’s senior executive team, he is also instrumental in setting the strategic financial direction for the brand, including developing and managing short- and long-term growth initiatives.
Adams is a hospitality industry sales and marketing veteran with more than 20 years of leadership experience. In his recently expanded position, he now oversees all aspects of the company’s global eCommerce footprint. Since joining Best Western in 2013, Adams has led his team in the completion of numerous strategic projects, including the launch of new property websites for more than 2,000 hotels and resorts across North America. Currently, Adams is leading development of a new bestwestern.com, which is expected to be unveiled in spring of this year.
With a collection of more than 4,100 properties in more than 100 countries, Best Western recently introduced its new contemporary master brand Best Western Hotels & Resorts, as well as new logos for several of its seven individual hotel brands. The company is also in the midst of deploying more than $2 billion in property improvements and renovations across North America, and rolling out two new boutique brands, Vib and Glo.