Mit Shah, founder/CEO, Noble Investment Group, is all about giving back to the community. For years, he and his family have helped the needy in their community, among other philanthropic efforts. The 30-year industry veteran was honored for this as well as his professional achievements by the UJA Federation of New York at the organization’s Hospitality Division reception at the New York Marriott Marquis last month.
Hotel Business spoke with Shah about the honor. “It was extremely humbling, and it was one of the great honors of my career to be named alongside so many others I respect in our industry,” he said. “I’ve also been very fortunate to do philanthropic work with my wife over a number of years. What we’re trying to do has helped to make a real impact on the places that we care deeply about. So the fact that this was recognition of what philanthropy really means and how important it is was also an incredible honor.”
He said that spending a day at the Edith and Carl Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst in Brooklyn before the event reinforced the importance of philanthropy.
“This is a place that takes care of 15,000 people in the community on an annual basis, and they went right to work during COVID helping provide food and counseling to other communities, and education and support for children and frontline workers,” Shah said. “Then, with this horrible war in Ukraine, they took 6,000 refugees in. Most of these were just mothers and their children whose husbands and fathers remain back in the war. They literally left everything behind building this whole new life. There’s no way that this survives without UJA So, with that backdrop—and with my parents being at the event and their story of arriving here, relying on their community—it all just came full circle.”
During the reception, he said, Jonathan Tisch, executive chairman, Loews Hotels and UJA’s Hospitality Division chair, told him that the event drew the largest crowd it had in many years. The event raised approximately $1.4 million to support UJA-Federation of New York’s efforts to help those in crisis throughout the world.
“That was something that was far beyond what they had envisioned,” said Shah.”It just touched on a number of different areas that are near and dear to me personally, around the impact that UJA has on the lives of immigrants, kids and families.”
While much of the philanthropy his family does is kept private, Shah offered a glimpse of how they give back.
“We’ve made a real stake on education. and then also community support, where we’re providing resources for people that need food and education in health and well-being,” he said. “And what UJA does in its community is a model for all of us in terms of how an organization like that really does impact future generations.”
Shah was chosen for the honor by a group of industry professionals who form the UJA Hospitality Division committee.
