Corporate Director of Operations Hotel Division
With over 25 years of hospitality experience, J Hughes brings a wealth of industry expertise, strategic insight, and a passion for service excellence to his leadership role at CUSA. His career began at a full-service independent hotel in Dayton, Ohio, where he developed a hands-on foundation in hotel operations and guest engagement.
A proud veteran of the United States Air Force, J reentered the hospitality industry by managing a beachfront Best Western in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Since then, he has held progressive leadership roles in revenue management, property operations, and regional oversight—successfully guiding teams across major brands including Hilton, IHG, Wyndham, Choice Hotels, and Best Western.
J has operated multi award-winning hotel properties, including leading a team recognized as a Choice Hotels “Hotel of the Year” nominee. Prior to joining our organization, he served as Area Director for a globally recognized hotel franchise company, where he led multi-property teams to exceed brand standards, elevate guest satisfaction, and drive financial performance.
J is known for his collaborative leadership style, commitment to operational discipline and culture development, and dedication to mentoring the next generation of hospitality professionals. He holds professional certifications in hospitality administration, revenue strategy, sales leadership, service excellence, and brand compliance, and regularly partners with owners and corporate teams to ensure each hotel delivers a seamless guest experience and strong financial results.
He earned a Master’s Degree in Administrative Management with concentration in Public Administration from Bowie State University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Resources Management from Troy University.