PHILADELPHIA—The Asian American Hotel Owners Association announced its new Board of Directors for the 2026-27 term, elected last week at the 2026 AAHOACON26 Convention & Trade Show at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
These leaders, including newly-elected Secretary Dhiren Masters, will guide AAHOA's mission to advocate for and empower its more than 20,000 members nationwide.
Chairman of the Board
Rahul Patel is AAHOA’s 36th Chairman of the Board for the 2026–2027 term.
Rahul's theme, "Strong Roots, Stronger AAHOA," focuses on strengthening the association's foundation through deeper member engagement and shared experiences. He prioritizes protecting members' profitability, advocating for solutions to rising insurance costs, growing AAHOA's education offerings to support better financial and operational decisions, and ensuring fairness in franchise relationships by pushing back against burdensome regulations and mandates that impact owners' bottom lines.
"As Chairman, my focus is simple: strong roots and an even stronger AAHOA," Patel said. "That means deeper member engagement, greater accountability, and ensuring every resource we build delivers real value to the people we serve."
Patel was elected Secretary in 2023, beginning a leadership journey that culminates with his Chairmanship.
"On behalf of AAHOA, I congratulate Rahul as he begins his term as Chairman," AAHOA President and CEO Laura Lee Blake said in a statement. "Rahul is a thoughtful, collaborative leader with a strong focus on member engagement and building meaningful connections across our association. I look forward to working closely with him to strengthen AAHOA's advocacy efforts, deepen member involvement, and continue advancing an organization that truly reflects the strength and diversity of America's hotel owners."
Patel was born in Surat, India, and migrated to the United States in 2004 to pursue the American Dream. His wife and in-laws owned and operated a small motel in Winfield, Kan., and Rahul purchased his first hotel in Indiana a few months later.
Patel completed his schooling at Vallabh Ashram in Gujarat, India, and obtained his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Brisbane, Australia. Today, he owns and operates several hotels, and credits AAHOA's 12 Points of Fair Franchising with helping him avoid liquidated damages when he purchased his first hotel.
"As we welcome our new Board of Directors for the 2026–27 term, I'm excited to work alongside leaders who are deeply committed to engaging our members and strengthening the AAHOA community," Rahul Patel said in a statement. "Our focus is on listening, connecting, and ensuring every member understands the value of their involvement as we work together to advance the interests of hotel owners and the industry."
The New Secretary
Dhiren Masters was elected Secretary of the AAHOA board on the final day of the convention, positioning him to become chairman in the future.
"I'm proud to welcome our new Board of Directors and congratulate our newly elected Secretary on this important leadership role," Blake said. "The experience, perspectives, and dedication of our Board Members are essential to AAHOA's success, and their leadership will help drive meaningful advocacy, member support, and growth for our association in the year ahead."
Speaking with Hotel Management, Blake noted that Masters comes from a family of hoteliers. “His father has supported the membership [and] the community for years,” she said. “So Dhiren grew up with that, saw the importance of the AAHOA community, and now wants to give back himself.”
"I'm ready for the new generation to come into AAHOA and help guide the industry and the association, bringing new ideas, and elevating AAHOA to the next level," Masters said. "To me, this election signifies that members trust me to do the right thing for the association, for the membership, and I'll definitely do that as your next AAHOA Secretary."
Masters most recently was AAHOA North Texas Regional Director. He has nine years of AAHOA leadership experience, including six years on the Board of Directors. He has served as a Board Member of the Texas Hotel & Lodging Association and on AAHOA's Strategic Planning Committee, Education & Professional Development Committee, Ad Hoc E-Commerce Committee, Ad Hoc Technology and Innovation Committee, and Young Professionals Focus Group.
The New Board
AAHOA Members also elected the following 11 members to the Board of Directors:
- Arkansas Regional Director: Animesh (Andy) Patel
- Central Midwest Regional Director: Jignesh (Jig) Patel
- Georgia Regional Director: Nilesh (Nelly) Patel
- Greater Los Angeles Area Regional Director: Ghanshyamsinh (GJ) Zala
- Gulf Regional Director: Mayur (Mack) Patel
- North Central Regional Director: Bhavin N. Patel
- North Pacific Regional Director: Ankit Panchal
- North Texas Regional Director: Anant (Andy) Patel
- South Florida Regional Director: Meghna Patel
- Women Hoteliers Director, Eastern Division: Purnima Patel
- Young Professional Director, Eastern Division: Moon Patel
The AAHOA Board of Directors also welcomes the following three members to serve as industry partners for the 2026-27 term:
- Fahem Khan, executive director - Head of Lodging & Hospitality SMB Payments at JPMorgan Chase & Co.
- Nil Kumar, president and chief product officer, Anand Systems
- Kevin Sloan, managing partner, Gauthier, Murphy & Houghtaling