La Quinta Seeks CEO As Hospitality Sector Rebounds
September 21, 2015 – La Quinta Holdings Inc. has tapped Korn Ferry to lead its search for a chief executive officer. Wayne Goldberg has stepped down from his leadership positions in the company by mutual agreement with the company’s board of directors.
While Korn Ferry conducts its search process, Keith Cline, chief financial officer, will serve as La Quinta’s interim president and CEO. La Quinta Holdings — owner, operator and franchisor of select-service hotels primarily serving the upper-midscale and midscale segments — has more than 875 properties representing over 87,000 rooms located in 47 states, Canada, Mexico and Honduras.
After taking a massive hit during the Great Recession, employment and hiring within the hotel/hospitality industry has begun to rebound. In the last year, according to one set of survey metrics, the industry added 527,000 jobs (2.6 million since 2004). That number is forecasted to increase in 2016, as global tourism and traveling in general are expected to rise.
Korn Ferry’s travel, hospitality, and leisure practice is run by Glen Schostak, who serves as its global sector leader. His expertise includes senior level search assignments in the gaming and hotel/resort industries, theme parks and attractions, restaurant and food service groups, airlines, cruise lines and travel services.
Over the past year, Los Angeles-headquartered Korn Ferry has filled CEO roles for the American Hospital Association, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Toys “R” Us, Target, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), and the Newseum Institute.
Contributed by Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor, Hunt Scanlon Media
