Mehul B. Patel may be the youngest chairman in the history of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), based in Atlanta, but that doesn’t mean he’s inexperienced. In fact, it’s precisely that hard-to-find blend of youth and experience that he feels will help move the association forward.
Mehul B. Patel may be the youngest chairman in the history of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), based in Atlanta, but that doesn’t mean he’s inexperienced. In fact, it’s precisely that hard-to-find blend of youth and experience that he feels will help move the association forward.
“It’s a game changer,” he told Hotel Business, referencing the fact that not only is he the youngest chairman ever at age 36—beating out Nitin Shah who was chairman in 1993 at age 38—but this is the youngest board ever. Aside from Patel, the officers also include Vice Chairman Pratik R. Patel, Treasurer Jay R. “Jimmy” Patel, Secretary Bharat “Bruce” Patel and President Fred Schwartz. And since AAHOA’s leadership tradition is that officers move up to a new role each year, the future chairmen of the organization will also be young, indicating what Patel calls a cultural shift in the organization.
When asked why this has transpired, Patel responded, “I think people wanted to see… the young generation, how can we grow another thousand members,” he said. “We have the strength, we have the membership. We feel like we could be 20,000 members and we have that opportunity. We just need that expertise and drive to take it to the next level. The young generation is out there.
“It’s a new generation, young blood,” he continued. “We’re hungry to drive the association to the next level. We want to make sure that we reach the highest level of member expectation and drive for that growth in any of our four pillars, whether its advocacy, personal education, community involvement, or membership benefits.”
That drive is something that is innate in Patel. He came to the United States from India at the age of 13, and his parents both worked in hotels. “I looked at myself as an entrepreneur,” he explained. “I bought my first business, an automated bulk mailing firm, in 10th grade. Once I made a success of it, I sold that and then bought a hotel. I converted it to a franchise and sold that business.” Over the years, Patel has built a career in hotels, and recently became managing partner of NewcrestImage, a partnership that includes three entities: Newcrest Development, a real estate development company; Brightman Construction, a builder focused on hotel construction and renovation; and Image Hospitality, a hotel management company. In addition to his career success, he also earned an undergraduate degree in computer information systems at the University of Texas at Arlington.
Patel noted that though the board is young, it’s also very experienced, having worked in the industry for years, served AAHOA and served on various boards. He himself first served as AAHOA’s North Texas regional director and serves on IHG and La Quinta’s boards. “Each of us has unique experience,” he said.
When asked where priorities should lie for AAHOA, Patel said that education and technology should be at the forefront. Patel noted that this board is better equipped to leverage technology than past iterations. “We have the ease of technology to have the communication and be able to do more on it, be able to achieve more,” he said. Patel noted that this year was the first year AAHOA launched its technology program at the organization’s conference held in Houston, TX, of which he was the convention chair. This technology platform entailed a mobile app that attendees could download free to follow the convention in real time, providing information about schedules, exhibitors, speakers, event alerts and the Houston area. According to Patel, the board is looking into ways to better communicate with all members, such as a site that would allow members to communicate instantly about any problem, issue or topic. A member could ask a question and get an answer right away from a fellow member. “How do we operate our association—whether its 11,000 members or 20,000—how do we have instant touch with our members?” he asked. “Communication.”
Fostering the second generation and educating its members will also be a huge focus for AAHOA this year. “The first generation were accidental hoteliers,” he explained. “They were not professionally trained, but when you look at second-generation
hoteliers, they have the platform from the first generation, they have the capital, the education. Now, we’re building on that part, leveraging the second-generation experience and making sure that they succeed even further with the access and the platform they have today.
“The younger generation wants to be involved with us whether it’s town hall, whether it’s regional or a lodging conference or an industry conference,” he continued. This education extends to all members. “We want members to leave every AAHOA meeting they attend with at least one new idea for saving money or making money—or both.”
AAHOA is also enhancing its educational opportunities in other ways. The organization currently offers a five-day CHO course for beginner and intermediate hoteliers, but now it’s instituting a two-day CHO2 course, which is a more advanced course with an executive level and management company perspective. Patel noted that this change underscores the evolution of properties owned by AAHOA members, namely many that have moved from owning one economy hotel to owning multiple hotels in more upscale segments. In addition, Patel would like to establish a mentorship program between AAHOA and hospitality programs at universities, though he noted this is in the preliminary stages.
Other priorities for the organization will be expansion of corporate sponsorships, both by enhancing the benefits for sponsors and by more aggressively recruiting the vendor partners who AAHOA members depend on for products. “We have 1,000-plus hotels on the program right now and we have more than 50 vendors,” he said. “We have group purchasing power—it’s going very strong and we continue to grow this program for our members.”
In addition, final approval is expected soon from the IRS for the new AAHOA Charitable Fund, which will provide the organization with new ways to give back through various humanitarian programs.
“The new leadership has different goals. What our past has done, it’s all very good,” Patel remarked. “They have given us a great platform, but how can we expand our program? How can we make it better by using the technology platform, by using different ways of education because we always talk about that—how is our lodging industry going to change two years from today, four years from today, five years from today? And are we ready for that change? Are we allowing ourselves to make that change?”
Bridging the gap
Patel believes his unique experience equips him to do just that. He sees a gap between first-generation hoteliers and the second generation. “I’m able to communicate between first and second generation hoteliers because of how I was brought up,” he said, adding that his leadership style is to listen first, ask questions, put together a game plan and then execute, which he believes will also serve him well during his tenure. “I am the balance factor in bridging the gap between the generations. You need somebody who can relate with both, but still look at the bigger picture to grow the association, expand the program and meet the members’ expectations. The only reason for our existence is our members.
“We have been inspired by our past, they have given us the platform of 11,000 members, but it is our job to put it to 20,000 now,” he concluded.