Mark Straszynski serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Best Western Hotels & Resorts. In this role, Straszynski sets strategic financial direction for the iconic brand, overseeing global finance, accounting, strategic development, treasury, risk management, restructuring and organizational change. He also sits on the brand's senior executive team, which shapes and executes Best Western's long-term strategies. Straszynski started his career in public accounting and consulting, serving senior audit positions for Ernst & Young and Grant Thornton. The Chicago native earned a Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from Northern Illinois University. Straszynski is a certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Illinois Certified Public Accountants Society.