Just when I think AAHOACON can’t get any better, it does! Last week in Orlando was nothing short of amazing, and I’m still recovering from all the excitement. It’s hard to believe it’s over after months of preparation and anticipation. Thank you to the AAHOA staff, who went above and beyond to put on a great convention and trade show. None of this would have been possible without you. I want to express my sincerest thanks to everyone who attended, exhibited, sponsored, spoke, volunteered, or helped in any way to make AAHOACON24 a reality and resounding success. As of AAHOACON24, I’m honored to have assumed the role of AAHOA Chairman. Like the theme for the year, Building Tomorrow Today, I promise to get to work to lay the foundation for a tomorrow that reflects the aspirations, needs, and challenges of today.

I’m here to do my very best to serve all of you and ensure advocacy is front and center of AAHOA’s mission and vision.

I plan to work alongside the 2024-25 AAHOA Board of Directors and my fellow Officers to continue to improve the member experience, focus on young professionals and the next generation, and reinvent AAHOA’s strategic plan.

AAHOA is the foremost advocate and resource for America’s hotel owners and will continue to maintain that reputation throughout my Chairmanship.

Thank you all for helping make last week in Orlando one to remember. Thank you for your dedication to AAHOA. Thank you for your support. And thank you for the opportunity to serve as your AAHOA Chairman.

See you next year in New Orleans for AAHOACON25!

Miraj S. Patel, MBA, CHO, CHIA
AAHOA Chairman (2024-2025)

AAHOACON24 marked the culmination of numerous campaigns, as one Officer position and 10 Board seats were up for election. Participants were able to cast their votes electronically and weren't required to be physically present at the event. Thank you to everyone who ran for office and to those who voted for candidates they believe will make AAHOA stronger.

2024-2025 AAHOA Secretary: Pinal Patel of Goodlettsville, TN AAHOA Members also elected the following 10 members to the Board of Directors: Gulf Regional Director: Vimal Patel Mid Atlantic Regional Director: Mahendra (MZ) Patel Mid South Regional Director: Ajay Patel North Florida Regional Director: Jayesh (Jay) Patel South Carolina Regional Director: Fenil Desai South Pacific Regional Director: Nilesh (Neil) Bhakta South Central Texas Regional Director: Vikash K. Patel Southeast Texas Regional Director: Bhavik Patel Southwest Regional Director: Dharmesh Ahir Women Hoteliers Director Western Division: Shetal Zina Patel

The AAHOA Board of Directors also elected the following three members to serve as Industry Partners on the AAHOA Board:

Amir Ahmed, Executive Vice President, DISH Business
Kevin Sloan, Managing Partner, Gauthier Murphy & Houghtaling, LLC
Abraham Tieh, Director of National Commercial Property Tax, O’Connor & Associates

“As we install our new Board of Directors for the 2024-25 term, I am honored to work alongside these esteemed individuals as we embark on a journey to shape the future of our association and the hospitality industry as a whole,” said AAHOA Chairman Miraj S. Patel. “I congratulate Pinal on his election as AAHOA’s newest Secretary and look forward to working alongside the AAHOA Officers and Board to continue to prioritize the needs of our 20,000 members, ensuring that AAHOA remains the leading voice for hotel owners nationwide.”

“I am honored to welcome our new Board of Directors to their roles for the upcoming term and extend my deepest congratulations to Pinal for being elected as Secretary on the AAHOA Board,” said AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake. “The AAHOA Board’s dedication and collaborative spirit exemplify the strength of AAHOA's membership. With their diverse expertise and unwavering commitment, our Board Members will play a pivotal role in driving innovation, advocating for our members, and fostering growth and success within our community in the year ahead.”

Please join us in congratulating our new Board members and be sure to check out the full 2024-2025 AAHOA Board of Directors list here.

Last week at AAHOACON24, AAHOA announced the release of Revised Point Number 12, Sale of the Franchise System Hotel Brand(s), in its 12 Points of Fair Franchising. The recent best-practice updates reflect the current industry landscape and are in response to the several noted acquisitions and mergers of one or more hotel brands between Franchisors in recent years. Best practices related to Point 12 now recommend that each Franchise Agreement include a “Change of Control” clause to protect the Franchisees in the event of a purchase, sale, acquisition, or merger of one or more hotel brands between Franchisors.

As with all recommendations and best practices provided to AAHOA Members, AAHOA’s goal is to continue our mission and commitment to educating AAHOA Members, helping to fulfill our vision to be the foremost advocate and resource for America’s hotel owners.

Click here for an updated explainer video, which will walk you through this latest update.

During the final day of AAHOACON24, on the General Session stage, AAHOA recognized achievements and excellence in the hospitality industry with its annual awards. Listed below are the eight honorees. For more information and a full description of the awards, be sure to read the press release here.

AAHOA Award of Excellence Dr. Jay S. Patel, COO, NashBuilt Construction, AAHOA Lifetime Member, North Florida Region Cecil B. Day Community Service Award Hitesh Patel, Sai Ram Hospitality, LLC, AAHOA Lifetime Member, North Texas Region and Prakash Saraf, Founder, Friends of Sparsh, AAHOA Lifetime Member, Washington DC Area Region Outreach Award for Philanthropy Amit Bhakta, Founder and CEO, Nansad Group, AAHOA Lifetime Member, North Texas Region Outstanding HerOwnership Award of Excellence Dr. Ruby Dhalla, President & CEO, Dhalla Group of Companies, AAHOA Annual Member Outstanding HYPE Award of Excellence Dhruv Patel, Director of Operations, Lotus Hospitality, AAHOA Lifetime Member, Central Midwest Region

Political Forum Award for Advocacy
Ray Patel – Owner, Welcome Inn Eagle Rock, President, Northeast Los Angeles Hotel Owners Association, AAHOA Lifetime Member, Greater Los Angeles Area Region.

IAHA Independent Hotel of the Year Award
Lexen Hotel in Hollywood, CA, Armaan Patel, Founder of AGA Hotels, AAHOA Lifetime Member, Greater Los Angeles Area Region

“Each year, the AAHOA Awards Program shines a well-deserved spotlight on the dedication and achievements of our members,” said AAHOA Chairman Miraj S. Patel. “These exceptional award recipients exemplify excellence in the hospitality industry through their multifaceted contributions. It is a privilege to showcase their outstanding service.”

“Congratulations to each of our award winners,” said AAHOA Immediate Past Chairman Bharat Patel. “I am honored to be part of the recognition of their hard work and dedication to improving their communities, our association, and our industry. They are among the standard bearers of our industry.”

“We are delighted to commemorate the 35th anniversary of AAHOA by highlighting the exceptional achievements and contributions of individuals within our association through our esteemed annual awards program,” said AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake. “As we honor this year's award recipients, we celebrate their unwavering dedication, tireless efforts, and exceptional leadership, which inspire us all toward continued prosperity and success within our industry and association.”

Grand Valley State took home The People’s Choice Award, and Oklahoma State received the Judges Championship Trophy at AAHOA’s inaugural Hotel Turnaround Collegiate Championship, which debuted at AAHOACON24. This industry-first competition format challenged university students from across the nation to compete in making the kind of operations and investment decisions all hotel owners must make to turn things around when performance is lagging. The competition is part of AAHOA’s commitment to supporting the next generation of hospitality leaders. "It can be a little intimidating because we come from an academic setting where we are just involved with professors,” Grant Gordon, a student at Kennesaw State University, said of the experience of being around the nation’s leading hotel owners. "Being able to come and speak to hoteliers, some of whom are really big, can be a little intimidating at first. But they’re all hospitable. We're in the hospitality industry.” Eleven teams of two students, each representing seven universities from all around the country, came together to battle it out at AAHOACON24 for the championship. Nearly two dozen student contenders had to navigate a unique simulation program, HOTELsim, powered by Russell Partnership Technology, which enabled them to make decisions mirroring real-life challenges faced by all AAHOA Members. These included staffing, operations, marketing, and capital investment decisions. Each team of students “acquired” a hotel that was financially identical in terms of performing in the same market and having the same key performance indicators. Teams used HOTELsim to implement ownership strategies to improve hotel valuation and future profit potential.

The participating schools were:

1. FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, Miami, FL
2. Grand Valley State University, Allendale Charter Township, MI
3. Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA
4. Northwestern State University of Louisiana, Natchitoches, LA
5. Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
6. University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
7. Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA

Based on financial and balanced scorecard operational results, four teams – Grand Valley State, Kennesaw State, Oklahoma State, and Virginia Tech – advanced to the competition finals, where student teams presented their simulated hotels as investment or purchase opportunities to a “Shark-Tank style” panel of industry brokerage, acquisition, and investment leaders.

“We are thrilled to honor the skilled and innovative winners of AAHOA's inaugural Collegiate Championship: Hotel Turnaround Competition,” said AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake. “This groundbreaking event showcased the exceptional talents and creativity of students representing outstanding hospitality management programs as they tackled real-world challenges in hotel ownership. Witnessing their teamwork and problem-solving skills is truly inspiring. AAHOA is proud to lead the industry in providing unique opportunities to elevate and celebrate the next generation of hospitality leaders, and we thank everyone involved in bringing this vision to life.”

“Where was this challenge when I was entering the industry?” AAHOA Immediate Past Chairman Bharat Patel asked. “As a second-generation hotelier who started my career in hospitality at a young age, this is the type of program I would have loved to have taken part in. AAHOA’s introduction of the Collegiate Championship: Hotel Turnaround Competition is just one more example of how AAHOA is placing emphasis on the contributions of the industry’s young professionals and future leaders. AAHOA extends a hearty congratulations to Grand Valley State and Oklahoma State for taking home the top prizes and for their
involvement in AAHOACON24.”

AAHOA is already receiving university requests for inclusion in the AAHOACON25 Collegiate
Championship competition. For more information on how to get involved, please email
edudept@aahoa.com.

We certainly got our steps in last week after exploring 86,000 square feet of exhibit space, plus navigating to and from meals, education sessions, masterclasses, the Block Party, the Welcome Reception, Classic Bollywood Night, the Gala Reception, and so much more.

Throughout the event, AAHOACON24's Trade Show hall was packed with exhibitors and attendees looking for new solutions to old problems, not to mention the return of the AAHOA Garage. Here's a small selection of highlights from the Trade Show floor, but the only way to get a true idea of this event's scope is to experience it firsthand. (That's your cue to start planning to join us next year in New Orleans for AAHOACON25!)

• AAHOACON24 Gets Going in Orlando, Florida
• AAHOA Chairman Bharat Patel Kicked off AAHOACON24
• Miraj S. Patel Named Chairman at Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA)
• Miraj S. Patel Becomes Youngest Chairman in AAHOA History
• Miraj S. Patel Makes History for Being Youngest Chairman in Asian American Hotel Owners Association Legacy 
• A Millennial Checks In: Miraj Patel Becomes Youngest Chairman of Asian American Hotel Owners Association
• Pinal Patel Elected as AAHOA Secretary
• AAHOA Updates 12 Points of Fair Franchising in Wake of Acquisitions
• Asian American Hotel Owners Association Updates Point Number 12 for Franchise Sales at AAHOACON24
• AAHOA is Definition of 'American Dream,' Says its Youngest Ever Chairman
• American Hotel & Lodging Association CEO Extends Congratulations to AAHOA on New Board Selection, Uniting Hospitality Industry Leaders
• CEOs Talk Challenges, Trends at AAHOACON
• Brand CEOs Identify Top Challenges, Industry Disruptors During AAHOA Panel
• At AAHOA, a Clear Message: Keep Government Out of Our Business
• Grand Valley State and Oklahoma State Shine at AAHOACON24’s Hotel Turnaround Collegiate Championship
• Compound Success is the Goal for AAHOA as It Looks Forward After 35-Year Milestone
• Exclusive Interview with Bharat Patel, Chairman of AAHOA
• Marriott Returns to AAHOA
• Marriott Executive Makes an Appearance at AAHOACON24
• AAHOACON24 Makes History, Focuses  on Legacy

Thank you to everyone who tweeted, posted, shared, and celebrated on social media their #AAHOACON24 experience. It was an amazing week, and we enjoyed getting to see your photos and observations throughout the event.

Here's a quick roundup of just a few of our favorites. Thank you for sharing your experience with us and with those who weren't fortunate enough to have joined us in Orlando.

AAHOA would like to thank all our valued sponsors for their support, partnership, and participation at AAHOACON24! You are a vital part of making this event possible. We couldn’t have done it without all of you.