JQH hires SPS director for corporate position

John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts hired a nine-year Springfield Public Schools executive for a corporate position.

Effective March 1, Dave Bishop will become corporate director of facilities management for the Springfield-based hotel operator. JQH has a portfolio of 35 hotels with 8,500 guest rooms and suites in 16 states, according to a news release.

“His impressive track record for effectively completing a range of property projects and earning his associates’ respect will bode well in his role as director of facilities management for JQH’s diverse national hotel portfolio,” said Bill George, JQH’s vice president of capital planning and asset management, in the release.

While at SPS, Bishop managed 64 properties and over 100 employees, and he led the district to secure a $10 million bond to construct Federal Emergency Management Agency safe rooms. He also co-owns i-Verified Background Screening Solutions LLC, a company run by his wife Brandy.

Prior to joining the public school district, he worked as facilities manager for Florida SouthWestern State College and as property manager for the retail operations of Madison Marquette Real Estate Services, for which he led multimillion-dollar property reservations, according to the release.

"JQH is the recognized gold standard in the hospitality industry,” Bishop said in the release. “I look forward to complementing the company’s efficient and successful facilities management team with my outside perspective and expertise.”