Bob served as president and CEO of Choice from 1980 to 1991 and chairman and CEO from 1991 to 1996. Under Hazard's leadership, Choice pioneered the concept of brand segmentation with the introduction of Comfort Inns in 1981. In 1985 Choice became the first hotel chain to offer mid-priced, all-suite hotels with the introduction Quality Suites and Comfort Suites. Choice also launched a major international expansion program that resulted in more than 600 properties in 38 countries. In the late 1980's, he continued the segmentation revolution with the introduction of Clarion Hotels and Resorts and Sleep Inns, an all-new economy lodging product that offers a high quality guest room at an affordable price. |
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Before joining Choice, Bob served as chief executive officer of Best Western International for seven years. A cum laude graduate of Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of International Affairs, he served in the U.S. Air Force and with IBM and American Express. Hazard has won numerous lodging industry awards including Lodging Hospitality's 1995 SilverPlate Award (the award's only repeat recipient), the 1992 HSMAI Koehl Award and the MBAA Man-of-the-Year. He was recognized in the Cornell Quarterly Silver Anniversary issue as one of the 19 "People Who Made a Difference" in the hotel industry over the past century and has been chosen for three consecutive years as "One of the Top 25 Most Influential Travel Executives" by Business Travel News. Bob has served on the board of directors of Choice Hotels International, the U.S. Tourism Organization (USTO) and the board of Outrigger Hotels in Hawaii. He is the former dean of the Presidents Academy of the Educational Institute of the American Hotel and Motel Association.