Mark Williams - Vice President, North American Development

Mark E. Williams is vice president of North American Development for Best Western International, THE WORLD'S BIGGEST HOTEL FAMILY^®. In his fifteen years at Best Western, Williams has served as the development ambassador for the brand, helping to bring hundreds of American, Canadian and Caribbean hotels into the Best Western family, with a special emphasis on new construction and hotels located in primary markets.

Most recently, Williams helped lead the development and launch of Best Western’s first upper midscale development prototype. In just over a year, Williams and his team have signed on more than 20 developers to build the contemporary concept, which was created to appeal to business and Gen X travelers.

Before being named vice president, Williams served as Best Western’s regional director of membership development, where he evaluated potential hotels and educated their owners on the Best Western philosophy and benefits.

The hospitality industry veteran has held senior-level positions with Cardinal Lodging Group Inc. in Columbus, Ohio, and Cleveland-based Economy Lodging Systems Inc. Williams started his career in marketing and operations with Wendy’s International.

Williams earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and marketing from The Ohio State University.