AAHOA Central Midwest Regional Director Arti Patel hosted the Central Midwest Regional Conference & Trade Show at the Doubletree Overland Park in Overland Park, KS, on Wednesday, March 1, marking the first day of Women’s History Month. 

Nearly 150 attendees showed up for a day full of education, networking, and deal-making on the trade show floor.

“Last year, I became the first woman to serve as the Central Midwest Regional Director, and on Wednesday, I hosted my first regional event,” Central Midwest Regional Director Arti Patel said. “It was an honor to kick off Women’s History Month serving AAHOA Members, connecting with local hoteliers, and listening to members' concerns and rationale. I have new ideas and can’t wait to share them with the Board.”

The event kicked off with the education session, “Elevating Careers in the Hospitality Industry,” giving attendees insights toward building thriving hospitality careers, mentorship programs, and networking opportunities regardless of professional experience. 

The guest panelists included:

• Andrea O’Hara, Executive Director at the Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Kansas City
• Nittu Binnarh, National Strategic Partnerships Manager at DISH Business
• Shamir Bhakta, Regional Manager at Salina Hotel Corporation
• Tejal Patel, AAHOA Women Hoteliers Director Western Division
• Tanmay Patel, AAHOA Young Professionals Director Western Division

Immediately following the education session was the Trade Show, where hotel owners met with more than 30 exhibitors ready to help hotel businesses succeed. 

In the evening, attendees heard from Brent Mertz, Director of the Midwest Division of CBRE Hotels, as he discussed the data influencing the industry. 

“It was an honor to attend the AAHOA Central Midwest Regional Conference and present to the members of AAHOA. Being surrounded by the entrepreneurial spirit embodied by the AAHOA membership is energizing and inspirational,” Brent Mertz, Director of the Midwest Division of CBRE Hotels, said. “The AAHOA partnership with CBRE Hotels empowers our members and audience alike to be informed with up-to-date real-time data, analytics, and insights at both the regional and national levels. It’s an honor to showcase our depth, knowledge, and industry-leading technology that helps hoteliers to achieve exceptional outcomes while making informed business decisions in the hospitality industry.”

Check out what AAHOA leaders and members are saying about this year’s Conference & Regional series and make plans to cross country with AAHOA this year.

On Wednesday, March 1, the first day of Women's History Month, AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake met with elected officials on Capitol Hill to discuss the association's 2023 policy priorities, including:

• Increase SBA loan limit amounts: Many hoteliers make use of SBA 7(a) and 504 loans to help finance the new construction or purchase of their hotel properties. Since the value of the hotels is significantly higher than current loan limits, there remains substantial collateral for higher loan amounts. Congress can greatly assist small businesses by increasing the SBA loan limits to match the current economic conditions and thereby create a sustainable business model for the future.
• Significantly increase the number of H-2B visas and create a new H-2C visa: AAHOA seeks for Congress to eliminate caps on the H-2B visa program altogether, so there are no constraints on addressing employers’ needs for additional seasonal workers. Also, if an already-approved worker is brought back, they should not be counted against the cap of a new visa. AAHOA also urges Congress to allow H-2C visas to be valid for multiple years, so businesses do not have to undergo the onerous filing process every year. AAHOA asks lawmakers to cosponsor the Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act (EWEA), which creates an H-2C visa program for nonimmigrant, nonagricultural service workers. 

Blake met with the following elected officials:

• Representative Jimmy Panetta (D-CA)
• Representative Ashley Hinson (R-IA)
• Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
• Senator Katie Britt (R-AL)
• Senator Susan Collins (R-ME)
• Representative Nancy Mace (R-SC)

The six lawmakers were highly receptive to the concerns faced by AAHOA Members.

Read more here.

Furthermore, this past week, more than 200 AAHOA Members traveled to Washington, D.C. for the Spring National Advocacy Conference. AAHOA Leaders met with more than 200 members of Congress to discuss the most pressing issues facing the hospitality industry and continue to advocate for all of America's hoteliers. Stay tuned for more coverage of the Spring National Advocacy Conference.

On Thursday, March 2, Secretary Kamalesh (KP) Patel participated on the “Hotel Transactions” panel at the California Lodging Investment Conference (CLIC) in Costa Mesa, CA. 

Secretary Patel was joined by Keegan Bisch, Vice President of Originations for Stonehill, Joseph Fan, President & CEO of Brighton Hospitality, Peter Steigleder, President of Fidelity Mortgage Lenders, Guy Maisnik, Partner & Vice Chair of Global Hospitality Group® at Jeffer, Mangels, Butler & Mitchell LLP, Alan Reay, President at Atlas Hospitality Group, Jenny Redlin, National Client Manager at Partner Engineering and Science, Ryan Huntsman, Vice President at National Commercial Sales at Chicago Title. The eight panelists discussed the increase in interest rates, hotel prices, and transfer taxes. 

Secretary Patel brought a fresh perspective on stage as a second-generation hotelier who owns and operates hotels in California. At the beginning of the panel discussion, Secretary Patel asked the panelists if they had worked the front desk, handled housekeeping, or cleaned toilets for a hotel property in the last five years. Secretary Patel was the only one among the panelists who raised his hand for each of those scenarios. He said he was proud to be in attendance to represent the average AAHOA Member. 

“The big players are willing to put a few $100,000 or more because they have the money readily available. But the everyday AAHOA Member may not,” AAHOA Secretary Kamalesh Patel said. “We arrived from India, worked in our 34-unit hotel, put our kids in school, and gave our family a meal to eat every day. Now, we’re getting taxed in so many different ways. You cannot purchase a 34-unit motel in the City of Los Angeles for less than $5 million.”

Emmy Hise, Senior Director of Hospitality Market Analytics at CoStar Group moderated the lively exchange of ideas. 

CLIC is known to be the only hospitality conference focused on the California hotel market. AAHOA is honored to have had KP participate in these important conversations.

Check out Secretary Patel’s LinkedIn for more information on his time at CLIC.

March is here, and with it comes a new webinar for AAHOA Members. In the Point 10 webinar, AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake sat down with AAHOA Past Chair ChandraKant (CK) Patel (2010-2011) to discuss fair and honest selling practices among franchisor salespersons and agents. Check out part of the conversation below:
“When you were starting your business, and over the years that you owned your various hotels, did you negotiate with the Franchisors on any of the terms?” asked President Blake. 
 
“Always, because when you purchase a property, you negotiate with the sellers, so negotiation has to be there. You just don't sign something which is provided to you. You always go to the attorney to seek their advice,” CK Patel said. “You know how to run the hotel. You are not the attorney. There are so many language discrepancies in the franchise agreement. I would suggest having your attorney read your agreement.”
 
“That's very good advice. Now, when you were first talking to the attorneys that you were retaining or even when you're first talking to the salespersons, did you use the 12 Points of Fair Franchising as a guide for some of the terms you were looking for?” asked President Blake.
 
“The 12 Points were created many years ago. Since then, we've been educating our membership about the 12 points. And to tell you the truth, it is not 12 Points anymore. If you look at the current agreement, it might be 30 or 40 points that you need to negotiate,” CK Patel said. “The 12 Points are a great way to start. Each point has a lot of value. This will give you the footsteps into negotiating the franchise agreement.”

Watch the Point 10 webinar today!

Reminder: Download the AAHOA 12 Points Educational Primer for extensive details on the 12 Points of Fair Franchising. We also invite you to review Points 1-9 on the 12 Points Webinar Series Landing Page. Let’s continue to promote fairness in the franchise industry in 2023.

In honor of Women's History Month, AAHOA is highlighting the many achievements of our incredible women hoteliers who are contributing to the association and leaving it better for generations to follow.
 
We sat down with AAHOA Lifetime Member Tulsee Nathu, a fourth-generation hotelier with multi-faceted experience ranging from operations, development, and industry activism, to get a closer look at her experience in hospitality.
 
We asked Tulsee what various women-centered initiatives at AAHOA and in the industry mean to her, and how those initiatives play a critical role in creating success for future generations.
 
What does AAHOA's HerOwnership initiative mean to you?
"The initiative will help women with the bigger picture of their business. This opportunity can empower women with knowledge, undertake business-shifting decisions, and help position generational family businesses for success.”
What advice would you give the next generation of women hoteliers?
“Never take no for an answer and have perseverance! There will be good and not-so-good days, but every day is a new beginning. Learn from your experiences and never allow your past to keep you a prisoner to what your future holds.”
What does it mean to you to be a woman hotelier?
“It means a lot, especially having my voice heard in decision-making and knowing what I want my future to look like.”
What is the biggest challenge you face in our industry today as a woman?
“The biggest challenge I face and continue to face is the obstacles of the biases in our own community that feel as if women don’t know anything or that they shouldn’t speak up. It has created men versus women conflicts, which isn’t a society I believe our children can grow in. It’s a cycle that needs to be eliminated once and for all.”
 
You can read more about Tulsee Nathu and a few other industry-pioneering women in the March issue of Today’s Hotelier.

When you turn on the TV, you usually see headlines about the Presidential Administration and Congress.

However, in reality, most of the action is happening at the state and local level. In our current political climate, it has never been more important to engage with state and local lawmakers to ensure they understand the issues impacting your business. This "how-to" webinar will teach you the basics to build relationships with your local lawmakers and become a leader in your community.

Access the webinar