OTO Development promotes Catherine Johnston to Vice President of Human Resources
February 23, 2022
Catherine Johnston has been promoted to Vice President of Human Resources at OTO Development. She is tasked with leading and developing the Spartanburg-based hotelier’s HR team, which supports ~2,400 employees across the country.
OTO Development, which is part of the Johnson Group, is a fast-growing private company that develops, owns and operates select-service hotels throughout the continental United States.
“It’s always a privilege to be able to promote from within,” says Corry Oakes, CEO of OTO Development, noting that Johnston has been the company’s Director of Human Resources since November 2017. “We’ve watched Catherine thrive in her previous role while increasing the breadth and depth of her industry experience. She will be a great asset to our leadership team moving forward as we aggressively grow our hotel portfolio.”
Johnston is a graduate of Clemson University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in speech and communication studies followed by a master’s degree in human resources development. She has two decades of experience in the HR field, with positions of increasing responsibility at SCANA Corporation, Extended Stay America, Trident Health and, for the past four-and-a-half years, OTO Development.
“I’m delighted to continue growing my own career at OTO Development while creating and implementing positive initiatives that allow others to do so, too,” Johnston says. “We place great emphasis not just on talent recruitment but also employee development, always with internal promotions as a goal.”
As a hotel developer and hospitality management company, OTO Development offers on-property positions – management, sales, operations, food service and facilities engineering – along with corporate functions such as IT, eCommerce, revenue management and accounting/finance. Other opportunities within OTO include real estate, development and construction management. The company provides competitive pay and a full array of benefits such as health insurance, wellness incentives, industry training, career development and tuition reimbursement.
A Spartanburg native, Johnston has two children and is an active volunteer at their elementary school. She also sits on the board of Trinity Children’s Center through Trinity United Methodist Church.
About OTO Development
OTO Development, part of The Johnson Group, is an award-winning, fast-growing hotel development and hospitality management company. Founded in 2004 and partnering with the Hilton, Hyatt, IHG and Marriott brands, OTO’s industry leadership position is anchored by a portfolio of excellent hotels staffed by exceptional people. The company currently owns and/or operates ~70 hotels comprising approximately 8,000 room keys. OTO’s growth is focused on developing new hotels in high-barrier-to-entry markets; purchasing and repurposing existing hotel properties; and expanding management contracts with clients ranging from publicly traded REITs to private equity firms to high-net-worth individuals. For more information, visit OTODevelopment.com.
