Hotel Owner Anthony Klok Becomes Best Western Chairman

Best Western Hotels and Resorts, a chain of 13 hotel brands in 100 countries, announced today that its board of directors has elected hotel owner-operator Anthony Klok to be the company’s chairman of the board for 2019.

Best Western’s board is led by seven directors who are elected to three-year terms by the owner-operators of 4,200 hotels affiliated with Best Western brands. As vice chairman of the board of directors for the past year, Kloc now becomes chairman of Best Western as this year’s chairman James Cosgrove, another Best Western hotel owner, steps down.

Mr. Klok has deep experience in many segments of the industry,” said Best Western Hotels & Resorts president and CEO David Kong. “He is known for being innovative and strategic."

Klok is co-founder and principal of Rebel Hospitality, which has 15 independent boutique and brand hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues in Chicago and Memphis. He has been involved with the Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association, the DePaul University School of Hospitality Advisory Board and the Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce.

Klok was elected to be a member of the board of directors in 2013 to represent the interests of Best Western hotel owners in eight states and provinces in the Midwestern United States and Canada, from Ontario to Kentucky.

Incoming chairman Klock said, “I have personally seen Best Western grow and evolve significantly in recent years, and I’m excited to play an even bigger role in building the brand and fostering growth for each and every hotel owner, while also improving our guest experience through innovation.”