WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), the AHLA Foundation, and The BHN Group/Northstar Travel Group today announced that Mit Shah, CEO of Noble Investment Group, will be the recipient of the 2026 Arne Sorenson Social Impact Leadership Award. The honor recognizes exemplary leaders who advance positive societal change across the lodging industry and the communities it serves.
The 2026 Arne Sorenson Social Impact Leadership Award will be presented at the Night of a Thousand Stars Gala on January 25, 2026, and onsite at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) being held January 26-28, 2026, at the JW Marriott/Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles L.A. LIVE.
Shah’s career reflects a powerful combination of business excellence and community investment. He has helped shape the future of travel and hospitality while expanding pathways for the next generation of leaders. Through programs and initiatives such as the Bharat Shah Leadership Speaker Series at Georgia State University – named in honor of his father – he has inspired and created opportunities for aspiring professionals. The series celebrates the diverse and deeply personal journeys of icons whose stories of perseverance, purpose, and faith embody the American Dream, serving as a beacon to students and the broader business community alike.
Through their Shah Family Foundation, he and his wife have championed academic resources, facilities, and financial aid across colleges and universities — removing barriers to higher education and opening doors for students who might not otherwise have the opportunity.
Advancing medical research and committed to accelerating life-saving breakthroughs, the Foundation focuses on multi-year, catalytic funding, partnerships with top research institutions, and outcomes-driven grants that speed translational research from lab to patient. The Foundation also supports data sharing, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and patient access initiatives, helping promising science scale faster and reach more people.
Mit is one of those formidable people who care more about others than he does about himself. Throughout his career, Mit has focused on building up his community just as much as he has his business. I am thrilled that he’s being honored with this notable award and am grateful for everything he does to advance our industry and his community. Rosanna Maietta, President and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association
Mit embodies the values that Arne Sorenson lived by – leading with purpose and using his platform to make a meaningful and positive difference in people’s lives. That’s exactly the kind of impact this award was created to recognize. Kevin Carey, President and CEO of AHLA Foundation
Mit’s approach to leadership mirrors his good friend Arne’s approach as it is rooted in the belief that success is measured not just by business results, but by the opportunities created for others. His complete engagement in building a company with a greater purpose is demonstrated through his dedication to building pathways for the next generation of leaders. This, combined with his family’s transformative philanthropy in health and education, fully exemplifies what the Arne Sorenson Social Impact Award represents. Jeff Higley, President, The BHN Group by Northstar
The Arne Sorenson Social Impact Leadership Award was introduced in 2022 in honor of industry icon and former president & CEO of Marriott International, Arne Sorenson, who passed away in February 2021 and left a legacy of commitment to social impact, diversity, and sustainability. It is presented each year to a senior-level executive in the lodging industry who is committed to social responsibility, strives to drive change through strong leadership and community engagement, and demonstrates extraordinary efforts to advance positive societal change and make the lodging industry and the world more hospitable. The recipient is selected by the AHLA Executive Committee, making this honor a meaningful recognition by their peers.
About Northstar Travel Group
Northstar Travel Group is the leading business-to-business media company providing information and marketing solutions for the global travel industry. The company owns 14 media brands connecting 1.3M industry professionals through a comprehensive portfolio of digital, social, print and more than 100 events in 13 countries. Northstar Travel Group is based in Rutherford, NJ.
About The BHN Group by Northstar
The BHN Group by Northstar (www.burba.com) is the worldwide leader in developing and organizing conferences for the hotel and tourism investment community. With over three decades of experience, it has completed more than 190 events drawing in excess of 130,000 international delegates. Its events include: the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) in Los Angeles; ALIS Law in Los Angeles; ALIS DESIGN+ in Los Angeles; ALIS CALA in Miami; and Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) in Singapore. The BHN Group also publishes Hotel Investment Today, a digital media outlet focused on the ROI of hotel investment.
About the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA)
The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) is the largest hotel association in America, representing more than 30,000 members from all segments of the industry nationwide – including iconic global brands, 80% of all franchised hotels, and the 16 largest hotel companies in the U.S. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., AHLA focuses on strategic advocacy, communications support, and workforce development programs to move the industry forward. Learn more at www.ahla.com.
