Education: Bachelor of engineering, M.B.A. in
marketing, Dartmouth College
Affiliations: Board Member, Creative Hotel
Associates, Choice Hotels International, and AAA
Mid-Atlantic; former Member of Advisory Board, U.S.
Department of Commerce Travel and Tourism Administration
Jerry Petitt,
president/CEO of Creative Hotel Associates, is the quiet, less-publicized
half of what flamboyant longtime friend and business partner Bob Hazard
calls "The Bob and Jerry Show." But no one knows better than Hazard what
Petitt has meant to their business ventures and to the industry overall.
"We've been together for 35 years, first at ibm, then American Express,
then Best Western and Choice, and now at cha," Hazard says. "'The Bob and
Jerry Show' reinforces my personal philosophy that the most important
decisions you make in life are the partners you choose."
In his comparatively quiet way, Petitt has established himself as an
industry leader. During his tenure at Choice, where he held the titles of
co-chairman, president, executive vice president, and coo, Petitt oversaw
the development of the Comfort Inn brand and the acquisition of the
Clarion, Rodeway, and Econo Lodge brands.
He also spearheaded Choice's overseas development with ventures in the
United Kingdom, Scandinavia, France, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
In addition, he supervised the development of Choice 2001, the chain's
computerized reservations system.
"I have to consider helping to grow Choice from some 300 Qualities to
more than 3,500 hotels as being right up there when it comes to career
accomplishments," Petitt says.
"I've learned, though, that you have to put family first and your job
second. For me, if it comes down to a choice between doing a deal and
watching one of my kids' baseball games—well, the deal's going to have to
wait."
Prior to joining Choice in 1980, Petitt served as vice president of
operations/COO at Best Western, heading up marketing, reservations, and
membership administration. During his tenure, the organization tripled its
membership.
Like his longtime associate, Petitt puts a premium on people.
"The key to success is surrounding yourself with people who can do
their job better than you could do it yourself, and then trust them to do
it," he says.
Petitt's business philosophy is equally uncomplicated.
"When it comes to how I try to do business, there's nothing very fancy
about it," he says. "I'd quote what I heard General Colin Powell say in a
speech he gave at a Choice convention a few years ago. He said that in the
end, you simply do what's right. I think that says it all."
