Gerald W. Petitt is president and chief executive officer of Creative Hotel Associates and formerly co-chairman of Choice Hotels International. He joined Choice in November 1980 as executive vice president and chief operating officer. Named president of Choice in May 1990, Petitt guided the company in the acquisition of Rodeway Inns, EconoLodge and Friendship Inns, as well as in a new venture with Canada's Journeys End Corp, and the acquisition of the French Primevere hotel chain, making Choice one of the world's largest lodging chains.
Jerry was responsible at Choice for all marketing, public relations and advertising activities, franchise relations, international development and operations, management contracts, groups and tour sales operations, data processing and reservation centers. He supervised the development of Choice's state of the art computerized reservations system, as well as its award winning "man in the suitcase" advertising campaign.
Jerry served as vice president operations and chief operating officer for Best Western International from 1974 to 1980 where he was responsible for marketing, reservations, and membership administration. Jerry also spent a year as director of Best Western's International Marketing and Reservations Center. Jerry was with American Express from 1969 to 1974 rising to director of travel industry marketing for its Space Bank reservations system.
