Long Beach, Calif. : Mahesh “Mike” Amin, 40, outgoing chairman of AAHOA, believes the strategic plan to overhaul the organization representing 6,000 members and a much larger constituency of Indian-American hoteliers has made AAHOA a much more effective organization today.

A third-generation hotelier from California, Amin told News India-Times that every one of AAHOA’s various committees now has industry experts, academics and leaders on them. “So, when ideas come from AAHOA, the mainstream listens. When we make a statement it’s not just from us ---- the mainstream has met us and welcomed our approach.” Today, 75 percent of the membership of the AAHOA committees is non-Asian.

A student at a Jesuit school and graduate of the University of San Francisco, where he studied economics and business with a focus on new venture management, feasibility analysis, financial management for development firms and real estate law and analysis, Amin now wants to go on a sabbatical after a grueling year of taking care of AAHOA’s needs. But he is still not off the hook and continues as ex-officio chairman.

“...when ideas come from AAHOA, the mainstream listens. When we make a statement it’s not just from us --- the mainstream has met us and welcomed our approach,” Mike Amin, outgoing chairman, told News India-Times.

“We positioned ourselves to be industry leaders. We were able to restructure our whole structure, which was antiquated for 11 years. By next year, we should be able to launch fully,” he surmised.

Every year, new issues face the membership, he said. The latest is the skyrocketing insurance premiums, as well as Small Business Association loans, matters that have pushed AAHOA to become more political, locally and nationally.

Amin, who, since 1986, has served as the managing partner of The Amin Group, a family-operated commercial management and development firm, knows how investment analysis, strategic planning, acquisition and property development pay off, and that has been his goal at the helm of AAHOA, which initiated a data-gathering drive from members so as to present a valid case to insurers and other industry service-givers to get the best deal for members. From the time he became vice chair, Amin persistently emphasized the need for strategic alliances with state associations, advocated political awareness and grassroots activism and ongoing education for independent hoteliers. He increased AAHOA’s local California membership and helped formulate the “town hall” concept to discuss significant regional topics. “I would like to double the town hall meetings this coming year. But we need to strengthen our local linkages and help more at the local level,” he contended. He wants to involve AAHOA youth and bring them to the forefront of the industry. But, for the time being, “I want to take a year off to reflect --- on how to make an investment back into our community.”

At 40, Amin, who was born and raised in California, has been to India once in 1986. His grandfather came to the U.S. in 1953 and he still lives in a joint family with his wife, Mita. “I don’t speak Gujarati as well as I should,” he said. Brought up in California in the late 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s, in a Jesuit school as the only non-Catholic, Amin said, “You learn what mainstreaming is really quick. You learn to get along with people.”

To this day, Amin continues to give to Jesuit charities and is a member of several nonprofits.