WASHINGTON—The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) announced its 2025 officers, executive committee, and board of directors. Vision Hospitality Group Founder and CEO Mitch Patel will lead the board of directors as chair; Marriott International Group President, U.S. and Canada Liam Brown will serve as vice chair; Davidson Hospitality Group CEO and President Thom Geshay will serve as secretary/treasurer; and Hilton Supply Management President & Global Head Anu Saxena will serve as chair of the AHLA Foundation Board of Trustees.
Patel succeeds Hilton Chief Financial Officer and President, Global Development Kevin Jacobs, who served as AHLA’s board chair in 2024 and will continue on the board as immediate past chair. Pebblebrook Hotel Trust Chairman and CEO Jon Bortz continues as chair of the HotelPAC Advisory Council.
“AHLA has assembled an impressive and diverse group of hospitality leaders who will help advance our issues as a new administration is coming into office,” said AHLA President and CEO Rosanna Maietta. “I’m confident this board will build on our record of advocacy victories and ensure that hoteliers across the country can thrive and provide lasting careers for millions of employees.”
“I’m looking forward to a busy, exciting year working alongside this exceptional group of hospitality leaders,” said Patel. “It’s our duty to tell the story of our dynamic industry to lawmakers at every level of government and show them that policies that help hoteliers lead to jobs and thriving communities. I’m also excited to keep building on AHLA’s legacy as a group that connects people in our industry through must-attend events, and to continue our work in areas such as anti-human trafficking efforts and sustainability.”
AHLA’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee include leaders from all sectors of the lodging industry, including brands, owners, real estate investment trusts (REITs), management companies, branded properties, independent hotels, and state associations. New members for 2025 are:
AHLA Executive Committee:
- Navin Dimond, founder and chairman, Stonebridge
- Carol B. Dover, president and CEO, Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association (FRLA)
- Amanda Hite, president, STR
- Jagruti Panwala, president and CEO, Wealth Protection Strategies
- Craig Smith, CEO, Aimbridge Hospitality
AHLA Board of Directors:
- Omer Acar, CEO, Raffles and Fairmont, Accor
- Jean-Luc Barone, president and CEO, White Lodging
- Dina Belon, president, StayPineapple
- Laura Calin, SVP, Oracle Hospitality
- Dawn Gallagher, president, hospitality, Crescent Hotels & Resorts
- Clark Hanrattie, partner, HEI
- Ash Kapur, CEO, InTown Suites and Uptown Suites, Starwood Capital Group
- Kris Kielsa, EVP and GM, Institutional North America, ECOLAB
- Pete Patel, president and CEO, Promise Hotels
- Luis Segredo (HTNG), CEO, Data Travel, Hapi
- Chad Sorensen (HAMA), CEO, CHMWarnick
- Jonathan Wang, founder and CEO, EOS Investors
AHLA is the largest hotel association in the United States and remains engaged in policy issues affecting hoteliers at all levels of government. In the year ahead, AHLA’s efforts will focus on:
- Securing tax relief for hoteliers by making the current small business deduction permanent, extending 100 percent bonus depreciation, and preserving like-kind exchange tax rules
- Urging Congress to pass lodging free transparency legislation to ensure fairness across the industry
- Advocating for rules at the state and local level that ensure hotels and short-term rentals operate on a level playing field
- Fighting onerous operational mandates proposed at the city and state level that would hurt hoteliers
- Pressing for reforms to our H-2B visa system so hoteliers have access to the seasonal workers they need
- Protecting the franchise business model from state and federal policies that would interfere with the success it has brought to the industry
- Ensuring hotels remain a viable lodging option for members of the public sector by lobbying for fair increases in the federal employee per diem rate
- Promoting AHLA Foundation programs tied to workforce recruitment and retention and expanding delivery of vital human trafficking training while supporting survivors
AHLA also continues to grow its membership, and recently added three new partners:
- dormakaba, an AHLA Silver Partner, is a supplier of electronic door locks, access management systems, mobile access solutions, and perimeter and facility access products that are used in thousands of hotels across the country.
- LAZ Hospitality Services, an AHLA Silver Partner, offers a focused experience encompassing all guest-facing positions within the hospitality space including new technology implementation, the creation of new revenue streams, banquet and bellmen services, as well as a core competency in valet and self-parking management.
- Foodbuy is AHLA’s newest Associate Partner.
