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THE AHLA FOUNDATION recently expanded its travel scholarship program with historically Black colleges and universities supported by a 2023 grant from the Nareit Foundation's Dividends Through Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Giving Campaign. The foundation also announced its 2024 officers and board of trustees, further diversifying the board's representation of industry segments, AHLA Foundation said in a statement. "HBCUs are an incredible, yet underestimated, resource for talent" said AHLA Foundation President Anna Blue. "Travel scholarships are an important tool for fostering inclusion at the earliest stages and help to increase exposure to the different parts of industry, including hotel and lodging REITs." The $85,000 grant from the Nareit Foundation, Nareit's philanthropic arm, will facilitate HBCU students' attendance at REIT- and investment-focused events, including the Hunter: Hotel Investment Conference in March and the NYU International Hospitality Industry Conference in June, the statement said.

DOROTHY DOWLING HAS joined her old boss, David Kong, as a principal for Kong's DEI Advisors, a non-profit organization that aims to empower women and other underrepresented groups to achieve their career goals. Previously, Dowling was chief marketing officer at Best Western Hotels & Resorts for 18 years while Kong was Best Western's CEO for 20 years. Kong, along with principals Rachel Humphrey and Lan Elliott, formed DEI Advisors last year. Humphrey is the former executive vice president and COO for AAHOA, and Elliott is co-founder of Acacia Hospitality LLC. Dowling also held senior leadership positions with other hospitality companies, including Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Forte Hotels, Travelodge Canada, Royal Host REIT and ARAMARK. She serves as a board member and advisor for several organizations, including Cubesmart, HSMAI, and WINiT by GBTA. Dowling recently received the lifetime achievement awards from the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International, the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference for her business performance, and GBTA WINiT for her leadership advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the hospitality industry, according to DEI Advisors.

Tara Investments of Charlotte, North Carolina, recently sold its Hyatt Place in downtown Greenville, South Carolina. The deal was brokered by Hunter Hotel Advisors and Apple Hospitality REIT bought the property. Mayank Patel, Hunter's senior vice president, oversaw the sale. Tara Investment is led by Anish Patel as managing partner. "We are very happy to announce the consummation of this transaction for our client," Mayank said. "The Hyatt Place is another example of Tara's premium grade developments, strategically located in Greenville's captivating downtown allowing the hotel to take advantage of strong business and leisure demand," Apple Hospitality bought the 130-room hotel in a continued effort to add newer vintage, high RevPAR assets to their select-service portfolio.

Kamara Batchelor is the new director of fund and corporate accounting at Noble Investment Group. Batchelor, a specialist in audit, tax, fund management, REIT compliance, and cash flow projections and analytics, previously held a position at One10, a consulting firm focused on CFO and transaction services, Noble said in a statement. "Kam is a valuable addition to our team," said George Dabney, managing principal and CFO, Noble Investment Group. "He brings with him an impressive track record that will enhance the continuous growth of Noble's institutional investment management platform." Batchelor also spent 10 years at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he worked with real estate clients. He was also a member of the launch team for the Center of Excellence verticals, the statement added.

HERSHA HOSPITALITY TRUST and KSL Capital Partners, LLC, have finalized KSL's acquisition of the REIT for approximately $1.4 billion. As of Nov. 28, Hersha became a private company and was delisted from the New York Stock Exchange. The companies entered a definitive merger agreement on Aug. 27 under which affiliates of KSL acquired all of the outstanding common shares of Hersha for $10 per share in an all-cash transaction. The companies filed paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Nov. 28 to make it official. The independent transaction committee of Hersha's board of trustees recommended the merger and the board unanimously approved it, according to Hersha. A special meeting of shareholders was held Nov. 8 to give final approval to the deal.