Among youngest on the board

By Ela Dutt

Long Beach, Calif. : Being among the youngest on the AAHOA board, Naresh ‘Nash’ Patel looks at the world of hospitality as another country to conquer.

The 37-year-old secretary, who takes over as vice chair of AAHOA this year and becomes the chairman in 2004, does not just want AAHOA to serve its own members.

“AAHOA is a massive machine that has the ability to help change our industry,” Nash told News India-Times. “My goal is to change the industry where it benefits our members in insurance, franchising, financing. Now we have to go to Washington and come down from there.” President of Amerifirst Network, Inc., a built-to-suite development company, based out of Pensacola, Fla., Nash specializes in the development of hotels, motels and convenience stores with fueling facilities, quick serve restaurants, office buildings and strip centers. In addition, he is senior vice president of Lodging Hospitality Systems Inc., a company franchising the Asbury Suites & Inns brand.

“Every Congressman must know us by now. But we want one-on-ones with them,” said Nash. He wants young hoteliers to have a greater voice in AAHOA and to revamp the Young Hoteliers Program.

Nash began his hospitality career with independent hotels, while working his way up into partnership of several franchised hotels. He has owned and operated several hotels since 1989. Co-founder of the Gulf Coast India Association, a local business organization representing the Gulf Coast, Nash serves on the board of directors of several hotel companies, which develop and reposition hotels.