PHOENIX, Arizona—BWH Hotel Group announced that it has promoted Ron Pohl to serve as the company’s president of international operations and president of WorldHotels. Pohl joined the organization in 2007 and previously served as senior vice president and chief operations officer. In his new role, Pohl will be responsible for further strengthening the organization’s presence around the world and enhancing the company’s operations.

“During his successful tenure with BWH Hotel Group, Ron has made many significant contributions, including increasing the company’s scale throughout the world,” said Larry Cuculic, president and CEO, BWH Hotel Group. “He was instrumental in repositioning existing offerings and launching new brands to diversify the company’s portfolio and appeal to today’s travelers and developers. In addition, he has led new and innovative operations efforts resulting in record guest satisfaction scores for the company. He is dedicated and the consummate professional.”

With the acquisition of WorldHotels in 2019, BWH Hotel Group expanded the company’s global offerings and reach, adding brands in the upper-upscale and luxury segments. WorldHotels is comprised of four collections, each with its own personality and style. The collections include WorldHotels Luxury, WorldHotels Elite, WorldHotels Distinctive, and WorldHotels Crafted. As President of WorldHotels, Pohl will be responsible for ensuring the organization’s strategic goals are met including increasing scale, driving revenue to hoteliers, and enhancing the brand’s image.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to take on this new and expanded role aimed at further growing and strengthening our brand across the globe,” said Pohl. “We have made tremendous progress in recent years diversifying our portfolio and offering new and exciting brands that exceed developer and guest expectations. I look forward to working collaboratively with our hoteliers, global partners, company leadership, and corporate staff to build upon our track record of success.”

Prior to joining Best Western, Pohl spent 25 years with Boykin Management Company and Marriott Corporation. With Boykin, he served in a number of senior-level positions and, ultimately, senior vice president of operations. He currently serves on the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s Board of Directors, the Advisory Board for Grand Canyon University, and previously served on the board of directors for the Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland.

Throughout his career, Pohl has earned a number of awards. In 2017, he was named a silver winner in the Executive of the Year—Large Companies category by the Best in Biz Awards. Pohl was also named the 2017 gold winner in the Executive of the Year category by One Planet Awards. Finally, Pohl received the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute Arthur Landstreet Award in 2016.