AAHOACON23 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 were not 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.

2023-2024 AAHOA Secretary: Rahul Patel of Bradenton, FL

AAHOA Members also elected the following 10 members to the Board of Directors:

• Arkansas Regional Director: Danny (Chintu) Patel
• Florida Regional Director: Chetan (Chris) Patel
• Georgia Regional Director: Vikesh (Vik) Zaver
• Greater Los Angeles Area Regional Director: Naresh (ND) Bhakta
• North Central Regional Director: Bhavesh N. Patel
• North Pacific Regional Director: Ankit Panchal
• North Texas Regional Director: Dhiren Masters
• Director at Large Western Division: Nalin (Neil) Patel
• Young Professional Director Eastern Division: Dylan Patel
• Women Hoteliers Director Eastern Division: Purnima 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
• John Houghtaling, Managing Partner and Majority Owner, Gauthier Murphy & Houghtaling, LLC
• Abraham Tieh, Director of National Commercial Property Tax, O’Connor & Associates

“Congratulations to our new AAHOA Secretary, Rahul Patel, and all of our newly elected
board members. It is truly encouraging to see so many members volunteering to serve
America’s hotel owners,” said AAHOA Chairman Bharat Patel. “Together, we are
continuing to showcase the value and importance of AAHOA, the largest hotel owners
association in the world, and I am thrilled to start working alongside the new AAHOA Officers,
our Board of Directors, and the entire AAHOA Team.”

“Congratulations to Rahul Patel and to all our newly elected board members. These
individuals are excellent additions to the Board of Directors of America’s premier hotel
owners association,” said AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake. “I am thankful for their
dedication to our members and to the hospitality industry, and it is truly an honor to work
with our Officers, Board of Directors, and the entire AAHOA team as we continue to lead this
industry as the largest hotel owners association in the world.”

Please join us in congratulating our new Board members, and be sure to check out the full 2023-2024 AAHOA Board of Directors list here.