With a unique and highly sought after combination of franchisor and franchisee experience, Michael Barnard worked for nearly 20 years as a franchisor and for eight years as president and COO of a hotel operating and development company. In addition to franchising, his breadth of experience includes branding, strategic planning, franchise operations, feasibility, development, acquisitions, dispositions, financial analysis and asset management. He is effective at the conception and implementation of new strategies, starting up new ventures, driving financial performance and building effective teams.

Barnard's nearly 30 year hospitality career started at Marriott Corporation, where he began as a management trainee, climbing the corporate ranks to manager /director of feasibility and market planning. In 1988, he joined Choice Hotels International and held various franchise positions, including Regional Vice President of Franchise Operations for West Market Area. In this position, he had full P&L accountability for a seven-state region with nearly 400 properties grossing over $450 million in annual revenues. He was named vice president of acquisitions and development for Pacifica Hotel Company in 2002, and soon after was promoted to president and COO. In his role there, he oversaw all acquisition, disposition, development and re-development activities, as well as renovations, design and purchasing, and management of a portfolio of 24 hotels with an annual revenue over $100 million. During his tenure at Pacifica, he led investments of over $300 million in hotel real estate acquisition, joint venture and development, and more than double the company's annual revenue.

He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Entrepreneurship at University of Southern California.