2011 AAHOA CHAIRMAN HEMANT (HENRY) PATEL CAMPAIGNS FOR THE FLORIDA STATE HOUSE

After almost 30 years in the hotel business, former AAHOA chairman Hemant "Henry" Patel is trying his hand at politics. The husband and father of two, a Miami resident since moving to the United States from India in 1986, declared his candidacy for Florida House District 108 earlier this summer.

The district faces several pressing issues, Patel says, among them a transportation system in need of improvement and an aging population in need of guaranteed services and healthcare.

"Our community is a great place to live and raise a family," he says. "But we can do better."

Six other candidates think so too. Roy Hardemon, Taj Collie-Echoles, Fayola Delica, Moise Duge, Francesca Menes, and Marie Erlande Steril – all Democrats – are also in the running for the coveted state seat. (The incumbent, Democrat Daphne Campbell, is not seeking re-election.) An exclusively Democratic race this year, the election will be decided by the primary on August 30. The rest of Florida’s state representatives will be elected in the state’s general election on November 8.

That leaves just a few weeks until Florida chooses its next District 108 representative. "I believe my chances are very strong," Patel says of his fellow candidates. "I’m running against some great individuals with a unique and diverse set of qualities," but few – if any – of those individuals can match Patel’s record of service to and involvement in Miami’s economic development.

A small business owner since 1989, Patel and his wife, Jaywanti, have run and lived at King Motel for nearly 30 years. Like many fledgling Indian American hoteliers, they initially took care of all aspects of property maintenance – running the front desk, cleaning the rooms, doing the laundry and even landscaping.

As his business grew, so too did his commitment to the Miami community. Patel is a former president of Biscayne West Homeowners Association, where he also served on the bylaws committee, and has been appointed to the Tourism Development Board by the Miami-Dade County Board of Commissioners. In addition, Patel is a current board member of Do The Right Thing, Inc., which encourages good behavior and a drug-free lifestyle among Miami youth, and served alongside former President Bill Clinton during overseas earthquake-relief efforts in the 1990s.

Patel plans to continue building on his exemplary service to the citizens of District 108 and to bring the same selfless, clear-eyed determination to Tallahassee if he’s elected this month.

"Our district has not had an effective voice in the Florida House for nearly the last three election cycles," he says. "My goal... is to represent the views and concerns of my community and translate [them] into viable legislation which serves and protects the residents of District 108."

For more information or to donate to Patel’s campaign, please visit HenryPatelforFL.com.