On the last day of AAHOACON25 in New Orleans, Vimal (Ricky) Patel was elected secretary of the association for 2025-26. Hotel Business caught up with Patel shortly after the event to discuss his new role and the year ahead.
Patel, who previously served as Gulf regional director for the organization, said being elected secretary is “both humbling and energizing—humbling because I’m now representing 20,000 hoteliers who, collectively, own more than 60,000 hotels in the U.S, and energizing because there’s a lot more work to do.”
He immigrated to the U.S. at age 21. “When any Indian came back to India from the U.S., the first thing I’d hear was that they owned a hotel or motel. So the day I arrived, I knew that I would be working in the hotel industry.”
More than a decade ago, he and his wife launched Louisiana-based hotel management company Divi Hospitality.
“We currently have six hotels in our portfolio, with two more going under construction soon and two others in the pipeline,” said Patel, who serves as president/CEO of the company. “We’re a family-oriented management company. We focus on taking care of our team members so they can take care of our guests.”
For his first year as one of the four officers for the association, Patel said he expects to listen, learn and “set up all the groundwork for meaningful actions for our members.”
He added, “My priority will be to get on as many calls as I can, with ambassadors, committees and officers, along with meeting with the members and hearing their concerns in order to work on issues that matter to our membership.”
Before his new role, he chaired the AAHOA ad hoc committee on insurance, where he led a search for affordable property premium options. It’s an issue he will continue to champion.
“That’s something I have been working on for more than three years,” he said. “Me and a couple of other AAHOA members have been working directly with underwriters, and we’re collecting data for our members.”
AAHOA leaders Kamalesh (KP) Patel, the association’s new chairman, and Laura Lee Blake, president/CEO, had some encouraging words to say about the new secretary.
“Vimal’s election as secretary is a testament to his long-standing dedication to AAHOA and his deep understanding of the issues facing hotel owners,” said Patel.”His leadership on key committees and initiatives has already made a lasting impact, and I’m confident he’ll bring that same energy and strategic foresight to his role as an officer. I look forward to working closely with him as we continue to advocate for our members and the future of hospitality.”
Blake said, “Vimal exemplifies the spirit of AAHOA leadership—hardworking, forward-thinking and deeply committed to protecting the interests of hotel owners. His strong advocacy on critical issues like rising insurance costs shows his clear understanding that safeguarding our businesses is just as important as growing them. Vimal is a powerful voice for solutions, and with leaders like him, we can weather any storm and build an even stronger future.”
