Choice Hotels International Chief Human Resources Officer Patrick Cimerola will retire at the end of this year, stepping down effective Jan. 1, 2027, the company announced Thursday in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Cimerola will not leave the payroll immediately. He moves into a special advisor role that runs through June 30, 2027, staying on to ensure a smooth leadership transition and to assist with certain strategic initiatives, according to the filing. The advisor position pays a base salary of $25,000 per month. That compares with his 2025 base salary of $500,000 per year, disclosed in an April SEC filing.

In the meantime, Choice will conduct what it calls a "comprehensive executive search" to select Cimerola's successor, according to a Thursday news release.

"Choice Hotels has always been a place where people are welcomed, valued, and respected, and I am confident the company is well-positioned for continued success in the years ahead," Cimerola said in the release.

The retirement caps a 25-year career at Choice, during which Cimerola "played a pivotal role in advancing the company's people strategy and leadership development efforts," per the release. He led the HR function through what the company describes as "significant periods of growth and transformation," including the integration of major acquisitions — among them the Radisson Americas integration — the company's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and multiple CEO transitions.

"Patrick's impact on Choice Hotels extends far beyond human resources," said Choice CEO Dom Dragisich, whom the company appointed from within its executive ranks in August. "For 25 years, he has helped shape the culture, values, and leadership principles that have enabled our company to grow and thrive. His steady leadership, sound counsel, and deep commitment to our people have left an enduring mark on this organization."

The HR change is the latest in a series of C-suite moves at Choice this year. Former CEO Patrick Pacious stepped down earlier in the year, and company veteran Tony Pallas was named chief technology officer.

The incoming HR leader will inherit a people function shaped through a quarter-century of acquisitions, a pandemic and repeated leadership turnover, with the succession search expected to conclude before Cimerola's advisor term ends June 30, 2027.