Biran has been an AAHOA member since 2001, Lifetime Member since 2008, and proactive leader since 2010. He now serves as North Texas Regional Director and previously was an Ambassador.
Under his leadership as Regional Director, North Texas repeatedly achieved record highs in PAC contributions, Lifetime Members, and paid members.
Currently, he serves on the Strategic Planning plus Membership Committees. He has served on the Sponsorship; Independent Hotelier; and 2017 Annual Convention Site Selection Committees.
When elected Secretary, he intends to continue AAHOA’s momentum, notably in the three key areas of advocacy, industry leadership, and membership/benefits.
A second-generation hotelier, he started learning hospitality as a teenager while his family lived at the hotel they owned. Today, his portfolio includes both branded and independent hotels.
He has been on the board of the Texas Hotel & Lodging Association since 2014 and earned his degree in finance from the University of Texas, Austin.
A year ago, Darshan Patel, CEO of Hotel Investment Group in San Diego, California, was one of the first hoteliers in the U.S. to step up and offer properties to overwhelmed hospitals seeking places to care for COVID and non-COVID patients as well as vulnerable populations. As the crisis eases and Hotel Investment Group works to return the hotels to business, Patel is negotiating with local governments to pay for the wear and tear on the properties. Patel is not alone as many hoteliers are unexpectedly dealing with problems that state and local governments’ urgent decisions have created, including property damage, increased costs and eviction bans. This report is the second in a two-part series examining the pros and cons of opening hotels to alternative uses during the pandemic. It is part of Long Live Lodging’s special coverage of the coronavirus crisis and its impact on the hospitality industry.
Dhruv Patel, president of Ridgemont Hospitality, in October shared a bittersweet moment with his parents, Pravin and Sima Patel, when the family business sold the first motel that Pravin had built from the ground up more than 30 years ago. But they rest assured knowing it was the right decision because the 22-room property is being converted into affordable housing for military veterans at risk of homelessness. The transaction is among hundreds taking place across the U.S. as state and local governments work with non-profit agencies to create affordable housing solutions for vulnerable populations amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In Episode 310 Long Live Lodging reports on the financial and legal aspects of what it takes to convert a hotel into long-term housing. This report is part of Long Live Lodging’s special coverage of the coronavirus crisis and its impact on the hospitality industry.