News
08
www.asianhospitality.com
February 2025 | Issue 233
itch Patel, Vision Hospitality
Group's founder and CEO, is
named chairman of the American
Hotel & Lodging Association board
for 2025. Anu Saxena, Hilton Supply
Management's president and global
head, is appointed chair of the AHLA
Foundation Board of Trustees.
Patel succeeds Kevin Jacobs,
Hilton CFO and president for global
development, who served as AHLA
board chair in 2024 and will remain as
immediate past chair, AHLA said in a
statement.
Patel said he looks forward to working
with a group of hospitality leaders.
“It’s our duty to tell the story of our
industry to lawmakers at every level of
government and show them that policies
supporting hoteliers lead to jobs and
thriving communities,” he said. “I’m
also excited to build on AHLA’s legacy
as a group that connects people in our
industry through must-attend events and
continues work in areas like anti-human
trafÏcking and sustainability.”
Liam Brown, Marriott International
Group president for U.S. and Canada,
will serve as vice chair. Thom Geshay,
Davidson Hospitality Group CEO and
president, will serve as AHLA’s secretary
and treasurer. Jon Bortz, Pebblebrook
Hotel Trust chairman and CEO, continues
as chair of the HotelPAC Advisory
Council.
Navin Dimond, Stonebridge founder
and chairman, and former AAHOA
Chairwoman Jagruti Panwala, president
and CEO of Wealth Protection Strategies,
join AHLA’s executive committee. Ash
Kapur, CEO of InTown Suites and Uptown
Suites at Starwood Capital Group; Kris
Kielsa, ECOLAB executive vice president
and general manager for Institutional
North America; and Pete Patek, Promise
Hotels president and CEO, are inducted
into AHLA’s board of directors.
“AHLA has assembled a diverse
group of hospitality leaders who will
help advance our issues as a new
administration takes ofÏce,” said Rosanna
Maietta, AHLA’s president and CEO.
“I’m confident this board will build on
our advocacy victories and ensure that
hoteliers across the country can thrive
and provide lasting careers for millions of
employees.”
The board of directors and executive
committee include leaders from
all sectors of the lodging industry,
including brands, owners, REITs,
management companies, branded
properties, independent hotels, and state
associations.
Other members for AHLA's 2025
executive committee include:
Carol Dover, Florida Restaurant &
Lodging Association's president and CEO.
Amanda Hite, STR's president.
Craig Smith, Aimbridge Hospitality's
CEO.
New AHLA board of directors members are:
Omer Acar, RafÒes and Fairmont,
Accor's CEO.
Jean-Luc Barone, White Lodging's
president and CEO.
Dina Belon, StayPineapple's president.
Laura Calin, Oracle Hospitality's senior
vice president.
Dawn Gallagher, Crescent Hotels &
Resorts' president for hospitality.
Clark Hanrattie, HEI's partner.
Luis Segredo, Data Travel, Hapi's CEO.
Chad Sorensen, CHMWarnick's CEO.
Jonathan Wang, EOS Investors' founder
and CEO.
AHLA recently named Luis Segredo,
CEO of Data Travel, as chair of the 2025
Global Technology 100 leadership team,
with Edward Malinowski, Aman CIO, as vice
chair.
Mitch Patel to chair AHLA
board in 2025
Navin Dimond, Jagruti Panwala, Ash Kapur, Kris Kielsa and Pete Patek join
AHLA leadership
Mitch Patel, Vision Hospitality Group’s founder and CEO, will chair the American Hotel & Lodging
Association board in 2025, while Anu Saxena, Hilton Supply Management's president and global
head, will chair the AHLA Foundation Board of Trustees. Patel is pictured here celebrating Vision
Hospitality’s 25th anniversary in 2023 with wife Parul to the left of Mitch, and children, Aleyna,
Arjun and Ishani.