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Rebecca Trumbo and William Gullion recently joined Greenville-based Auro Hotels as procurement director and vice president of design and construction, respectively. Trumbo previously held procurement roles at Best Western Hotels & Resorts, IHG Hotels & Resorts and Hilton Hotels. Gullion's past positions include president of architecture, design and construction at Virage Creative and vice president of global shared technical services at Hilton Worldwide, Auro said in a statement. "We are excited to welcome Rebecca and William to the Auro Hotels family," said DJ Rama, Auro Hotels' president and CEO. "Their extensive experience and proven track records in the hospitality industry will be invaluable as we continue to drive growth and innovation. We look forward to the significant contributions they will make to our team and the positive impact they will have on our operations and guest experiences."

The AC Hotel by Marriott Greenville Downtown is open in Greenville, South Carolina. It is owned by Auro Hotels led by Dharmendra D.J. Rama as president and CEO. The 8-story, 196-room upscale hotel is in Camperdown Plaza near Falls Park, the Reedy River, the Peace Center Performing Arts center, Kroc Center Greenville, the Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum and Sirrine Stadium. It includes seven restaurants and bars, including the tapas bar Paloma, the rooftop Juniper and The Press Room speakeasy. "The opening of the AC Hotel Greenville Downtown and Paloma marks an exciting milestone for Auro Hotels," Rama said. "This project is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity due to its location, scale, level of detail and amenities, as well as a unique opportunity to celebrate our hometown of Greenville. The hotel, along with the thoughtfully-curated food and beverage concepts, will be treasured by visitors and the local community for generations." Also, the hotel features more than 100 works by 35 local artists and 29,000 square feet of meeting and event space.

AAHOA PAST CHAIRMAN Manhar P. "MP" Rama passed away Sunday at age 74. Rama was a co-founder with his brothers of JHM Hotels that later became Auro Hotels in Greenville, South Carolina. Rama was born in Africa and raised in India, according to Auro Hotels. He completed high school in Gurukul Supa, Navsari, and graduated from M.S. University of Baroda with a degree in civil engineering. In 1973, he came to the U.S. and attended California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, California, where he earned a master's degree in engineering. He worked with the city of Pomona before entering the hotel business. "In the teachings of Sri Aurobindo, we learn that life is a journey of the soul, and my brother, M.P., lived this journey with unwavering devotion, love, and integrity," said HP Rama, Founder of JHM/Auro Hotels. "His contributions to our family and the hospitality industry are immeasurable. We will honor his memory by continuing to embody the values he held dear. M.P.'s spirit will remain a guiding light for all of us."

FUNERAL SERVICES ARE planned for Saturday in Orlando for Manhar P. "MP" Rama, AAHOA past chairman and co-founder of Greenville, South Carolina-based Auro Hotels. Friends, family and colleagues are remembering Rama, who passed away Sunday at age 74, as a man with a big heart. The funeral is planned for 11 a.m. at Faith Assembly on Curry Ford Road. The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, gifts be made to the Mandala Foundation Inc. at 9036 Mayfair Pointe Drive, Orlando, FL 32827. Rama was born in Africa and raised in India, according to Auro Hotels. He completed high school in Gurukul Supa, Navsari, and graduated from M.S. University of Baroda with a degree in civil engineering. In 1973, he came to the U.S. and attended California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, California, where he earned a master's degree in engineering. He worked with the city of Pomona before entering the hotel business.

Jennifer Stilwell is the new vice president of marketing for auroHOTELS, led by D.J. Rama as president and CEO. Previously, she served as chief marketing officer for VisitGreenvilleSC, the destination marketing organization for Greenville, South Carolina, where auroHOTELS is based. Prior to VisitGreenvilleSC, Stilwell led tourism brand marketing for Leslie Advertising, handling accounts such as the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism. She also worked for New York ad agency Warren/Kremer representing NYCVB, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, La Cabana in Aruba and Club Med. A native of New Jersey, Stilwell graduated from Rollins College. While at VisitGreenvilleSC, where she also served as executive vice president and chief strategic officer, she directed and launched the "yeahTHATgreenville" rebranding campaign for the city.

WITH A GRAND procession through the streets of his home village of Sarona, India, shared online in a video, Jayanti P. "J.P." Rama left this world as a legend among his peers. The former AAHOA chairman and longtime hotelier left a legacy that will last for decades with the younger generation he mentored and inspired. Rama died Feb. 17 while visiting family in Ahmedabad, India, at the age of 74. He was co-founder of JHM Hotels, now Greenville, South Carolina-based auroHOTELS, which now is run by his son, D.J. Rama. He is survived also by his daughter, Rita Rama Patel, wife Ilaben (Laxmiben) Rama and brothers, Hasmukh "H.P." Rama, Manhar "M.P." Rama and Raman "R.P." Rama, all of whom traveled to India for the funeral. For those friends and family of Rama who could not attend the actual ceremony, Auro University in Surat, a private university founded by the Rama family and auroHOTELS, has posted a video on YouTube. Tributes to Rama also continued to come in, as seen below.