Red Roof® President Zack Gharib Unveils Plan to Elevate the Brand at its 2024 Conference

Blueprint Highlights a New Red Roof Prototype, a Renewed Focus on Growth, Consistency and Innovation, and Key Executive Appointments to Deepen Red Roof's Leadership Team

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Red Roof®, an award-winning leader in the lodging industry, unveiled a blueprint for continued profitable growth at its brand conference for more than 1,000 franchisees, team members and partners. Red Roof President Zack Gharib laid out a concrete path forward to elevate one of America's best-known lodging brands. In his address to the Red Roof franchise community, Gharib told conference attendees, "We are an iconic American brand, and we are living the American dream." 

He outlined a comprehensive plan for the company to drive growth and accelerate demand, including:

• A new prototype for Red Roof hotels, prioritizing new-build properties and high-demand products across the country and in new locations—designed to drive economies and efficiencies for franchisees
• New and enhanced partnerships and programs to provide franchisees and the brand access to better data and analytics to improve the guest experience, streamline operations and generate increased revenue
• A renewed and specific commitment to a deeper and enriched company culture and an obsession with consistency to drive performance

In his address, Gharib told the audience: "We will elevate this brand, this company and our business. We will do that with a better and more consistent experience for our guests."

New Prototype

Gharib called the new Red Roof prototype "a visible commitment to the elevated guest experience." The new-build prototype is designed as an 80-room, three- or four-story property with interior corridors that is scalable. It has a modern and inviting lobby and a host of new amenities for guests. The new design has a lower cost to develop and will streamline workflow without sacrificing quality and service.

This new prototype joins the recently updated new-build prototype for Red Roof's extended-stay brand, HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof®, and dual-branded Red Roof and HomeTowne Studios hotels, which are rapidly growing in popularity with developers and guests. "The new Red Roof prototype is a smart investment for any franchisee looking to grow their portfolio. It is cost-effective and operationally efficient. And most importantly, it is designed to satisfy our guests," Gharib said.

New Partnerships

Conference attendees learned about a set of new and enhanced programs with partners to improve communication with guests, provide the company with greater insights and use artificial intelligence to analyze data and patterns that will help franchisees deliver a better guest experience.

One of these new partnerships is with Sojern, a top-rated guest experience platform in the hospitality industry. Sojern will provide Red Roof unrivaled traveler insights and the ability to communicate with guests at just the right moments. The partnership will help the company and franchisees improve both growth and profitability.

The company also celebrated the integration of the HotelKey property management system and outlined new applications for HotelKey in other aspects of the business, starting with PaymentKey. PaymentKey streamlines transactions and operations, empowering hotel operators to improve business results.

New Leadership Additions

Gharib introduced a newly appointed chief financial officer, Tara Henderson. She is an experienced leader: a veteran of the United States Navy and an executive with more than 20 years' experience in finance, operations and logistics with large and complex organizations. Henderson's appointment enhances the depth and breadth of the company's executive team. 

Gharib also introduced new General Counsel Gerrod Bede. Bede is an attorney proficient in complex franchise and business law. He held a similar role with a company that manages multiple franchise portfolios.

Focus on Culture and Consistency

Gharib emphasized his commitment to further elevating the company's culture, for all stakeholders. "We have cultivated a strong culture that will elevate our brand from the inside out. We are instilling habits rooted in personal growth, accountability, mutual respect and fairness," Gharib said. He added that he wants everyone in the organization—owners, operators, hotel staff and brand team members—to thrive. "If our people are thriving, we will deliver elevated, more consistent experiences for our guests."

In his remarks, Gharib underscored the work Red Roof is doing to build a future-proofed, profitable business for hotel owners and operators. He urged all attendees to implement the plans and learnings from the conference to deepen their investment and broaden engagement to drive brand consistency for continued growth and success.

About Red Roof
Red Roof is an award-winning leader in the lodging industry, recognized for creating the innovative Upscale Economy® segment, serving millions of guests each year. Red Roof's portfolio of brands includes Red Roof Inn® and Red Roof PLUS+®, HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof®, The Red Collection®, and Red Roof's dual-branded properties. Red Roof has over 60,000 rooms in more than 700 properties in the U.S. and internationally in Japan. For more information, visit redroof.com or download Red Roof's free app for iOS and Android devices. To learn about franchising opportunities, visit redrooffranchising.com.

Red Roof's Vision: To provide the best experience and value in the lodging industry for our guests, owners, team members, partners, and communities.

SOURCE Red Roof