Lodging Leaders

“These stories can only be told by us.”

Those words are written by Bharat Shah, an American hotelier and an immigrant from India, in his autobiography “America My Destiny.”

Bharat’s son, Mit, is founder and CEO of Noble Investment Group, which has $3 billion of private equity invested in hotels throughout the country.

Together, father and son decided to share Bharat Shah’s story with the world. They did that in 2014, in front of a packed auditorium in the Rialto Theater on the campus of Georgia State University in Atlanta.

Since then, The Bharat Shah Leadership Speaker Series has grown into an endeavor that has introduced thousands of aspiring leaders to top executives in the U.S. hospitality industry: Chris Nassetta, Arne Sorenson, Tom Baltimore, Mark Elliott, and Mark Hoplamazian.

Mit shares the beginning of his storytelling journey and what he’s learned about business, leadership and himself while prepping for and conducting the interviews. We also feature segments of the recorded interviews with all of the guests.

Is your hotel’s website accessible to people with disabilities? If you don’t know the answer to that question, you’ll probably end up in court.

In this episode, we examine what’s behind the dramatic spike in website accessibility lawsuits being filed against businesses under the Americans with Disabilities Act. And why commercial enterprises found to be non-compliant are hit with tens of thousands of dollars in penalties. Experts we interviewed for this report say the reality is it’s only a matter of time before you get sued over your hotel website as drive-by litigation takes a back seat to surf-by lawsuits.

The good news is there are steps you can take to make your hotel website accessible to guests with disabilities and not only avoid your day in court but generate new business as well.

Featured in today’s episode are …

Joe Dolson, a web accessibility consultant

Peter Seidenberg, CEO of HEBS Digital

Lensay Abadula, a UX designer with HEBS Digital

Darshan Patel, a lawyer who specializes in ADA law

Resources & Links

* Joe Dolson

* Darshan Patel

* HEBS Digital

* Seyfarth Shaw report on increase in ADA Title III lawsuits

* Seyfarth Shaw report on increase in website accessibility lawsuits

* 3Play Media webinar on how ADA applies to hotels and restaurants

* For information about the Americans with Disabilities Act, visit www.ada.gov

Is your hotel’s website accessible to people with disabilities? If you don’t know the answer to that question, you’ll probably end up in court.

In this episode, we examine what’s behind the dramatic spike in website accessibility lawsuits being filed against businesses under the Americans with Disabilities Act. And why commercial enterprises found to be non-compliant are hit with tens of thousands of dollars in penalties. Experts we interviewed for this report say the reality is it’s only a matter of time before you get sued over your hotel website as drive-by litigation takes a back seat to surf-by lawsuits.

The good news is there are steps you can take to make your hotel website accessible to guests with disabilities and not only avoid your day in court but generate new business as well.

Almost two years ago, Trump Hotels introduced Chawla Hotels to the world as the first developers of the company’s new brands Scion and American Idea.

Though Trump Hotels in February announced it was pulling out of development deals in Cleveland and other nearby towns, the Trump effect will be more than a footnote in Mississippi’s history.

This report is an update of sorts as I featured interviews with Eric Danziger and Suresh Chawla in back-to-back episodes released on July 19 and July 26, 2017, just after the June announcement.

You’ll hear from …

Dinesh Chawla about his unique experience of working with Trump Hotels.

Eric Danziger, CEO of Trump Hotels, on why he and brothers Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump decided to call it quits with new brand development.

Kathleen Flores, executive vice president of new brands and innovation, as she tells what’s next for Trump Hotels.

Resources & Links

* Trump Hotels

* Chawla Hotels

* Kathleen Flores on LinkedIn

* 121 | An American Idea with Trump Hotels CEO Eric Danziger

* 122 | ‘5-Star Mentality’ for a 3-Star Brand with Suresh Chawla

Almost two years ago, Trump Hotels introduced Chawla Hotels to the world as the first developers of the company’s new brands Scion and American Idea.

Though Trump Hotels in February announced it was pulling out of development deals in Cleveland and other nearby towns, the Trump effect will be more than a footnote in Mississippi’s history.

This report is an update of sorts as I featured interviews with Eric Danziger and Suresh Chawla in back-to-back episodes released on July 19 and July 26, 2017, just after the June announcement.

The federal government’s efforts to curb family migration to America is a key concern for many foreign-born residents in the U.S. and their children, including the Indian American community, which has used the method over the past 50 years to grow into an economic powerhouse of business owners, including their domination of the hotel industry.

In this episode, Judy Maxwell, co-host of Lodging Leaders, takes a look at immigration trends in the U.S. and proposed changes to federal law that would dramatically alter the way legal immigrants have been able to bring members of their families to America and to build businesses.

You’ll hear from …

Suraj Patel, a political activist and the son of a hotelier

Jyoti Sarolia, an active AAHOA member and a third-generation hotelier who founded a company that pays homage to her family’s immigration history

Andrew Lim of New American Economy, which tracks immigrants’ contributions to the U.S. economy and business landscape

Chris Mumford from Aethos Consulting Group on the impact of immigrants in the workforce.

We also take a look at …

* Current immigration trends and regulatory initiatives championed by President Trump to decrease the flow of migrants to America.

* Immigration-reform proposals introduced to Congress over the past two years.

* And, we ask AAHOA where it stands in the debate over immigration reform.

Resources & Links

* AAHOA (Asian American Hotel Owners Association)

* Catch Suraj Patel speak about immigration, on his 2018 campaign website.

* Check out New American Economy’s take on the 2018 Fortune 500, where it highlights companies founded by immigrants or children of immigrants.

* To learn more about initiatives to promote legal immigration in the U.S. visit the Migrant Policy Institute’s website.

* Pew Research Center is a treasure trove of news and information on immigration in America and around the world. Check out its website.

* Read the White House position on family migration in its Dec. 15, 2017, post.

The federal government’s efforts to curb family migration to America is a key concern for many foreign-born residents in the U.S. and their children, including the Indian American community, which has used the method over the past 50 years to grow into an economic powerhouse of business owners, including their domination of the hotel industry.

In this episode, Judy Maxwell, co-host of Lodging Leaders, takes a look at immigration trends in the U.S. and proposed changes to federal law that would dramatically alter the way legal immigrants have been able to bring members of their families to America and to build businesses.

Today’s report takes a look at a newcomer to hotel fund raising – the Investing in Opportunity Act, and the capital pools and projects the federal law is generating.

While the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the IRS are still working on the act’s punch list, many hotel developers and private equity groups are moving ahead to capitalize early on projects already breaking ground in designated opportunity zones.

In this episode, we hear from leadership at Peachtree Hotel Group of Atlanta, and a real estate attorney specializing in hotel development and opportunity zones. We also feature recorded interviews of the U.S. senators responsible for introducing the act.

You’ll hear from …

Greg Friedman, co-founder and president, Peachtree Hotel Group

Mitul Patel, co-founder, managing principal and COO, Peachtree Hotel Group

Brian Waldman, senior vice of president of investments, Peachtree Hotel Group

Nicole Ament, real estate lawyer and shareholder in the Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck law firm

Resources & Links

* Peachtree Hotel Group

* Nicole Ament

VIDEOS

* Scott and Booker at NACo.

* [This post contains video, click to play]

* Scott on Senate Finance Committee

* Letter Sen. Tim Scott and others sent to Steve Mnuchin, secretary of the U.S. Treasury listing unanswered questions regarding opportunity zone investment.

* Economic Innovation Group (EIG)’s website FAQs

Opportunity Zone legislation links

* Senate bill

* House bill

Today’s report takes a look at a newcomer to hotel fund raising – the Investing in Opportunity Act, and the capital pools and projects the federal law is generating.

While the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the IRS are still working on the act’s punch list, many hotel developers and private equity groups are moving ahead to capitalize early on projects already breaking ground in designated opportunity zones.

In this episode, we hear from leadership at Peachtree Hotel Group of Atlanta, and a real estate attorney specializing in hotel development and opportunity zones. We also feature recorded interviews of the U.S. senators responsible for introducing the act.

This week, Lodging Leaders focuses on women in hospitality, and the long road ahead for those who want a lead role in the industry.

You’ll hear from …

Peggy Berg, founder of Castell Project

Jeffrey Tobias Halter, corporate gender consultant and founder of Why Women

Beth Milano, manager at Ruckus Wireless

Kris Gathright, executive vice president and COO at Apple REIT

Jagruti Panwala, AAHOA Vice Chair

Lina Patel, hotel owner and AAHOA board member

Purvi Panwala, second-generation hotelier, CEO of Purvi LLC

Resources & Links

* Castell Project

* YWomen

* Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA)

* American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA)

* ForWard: Women Advancing Hospitality