SILVER SPRING, MD— HOTEL BUSINESS® has learned that Choice Hotels International appointed two new directors to its executive ranks: David Pepper, who has been named senior director of franchise development, and Bill Evans, the newly appointed senior director of market information. Pepper, who has 11 years of industry experience with companies like Holiday Inn and USFS, will help create development strategies and assist in franchising Choice’s family brands. He will report directly to David Goldberg, vp/strategy and business development. Evans will build upon his 20 years of travel research experience as he oversees economic research and forecasting for the industry and Choice Hotels. He will also serve as a key contact liaison between Choice and Smith Travel Research, and will be involved in some ad hoc business analysis for Choice, according to a spokesperson. Most recently, Evans served as the director/lodging research for D.K. Shifflet, and has previous work on research projects for Marriott International, Cendant Corp., and Best Western. He also previously worked for the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) as the director of economic research where he was responsible for forecasting U.S. travel volume. —Diana M. Rodriguez
