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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.

IHG HOTELS & RESORTS is set to launch a new brand targeted at midscale conversions, the company said during its first-half earnings call. Although the company has kept the brand's name under wraps, more than 100 hotels and their owners have displayed strong interest in the new brand. IHG, has previously established brands such as Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express in the upper-midscale category. It expects that the forthcoming brand will advance the company's growth within a $14 billion segment exclusive to the U.S. market. "As we expand our brand portfolio, we're pleased to announce an upcoming launch of a new brand aimed at midscale conversion opportunities," said Elie Maalouf, IHG's CEO. "Conversions offer substantial growth potential, constituting approximately 40 percent of global first-half openings and signings, reflecting owners' increasing eagerness to swiftly benefit from IHG's reach and enterprise. We're thrilled that over 100 hotels have already expressed definite interest in this new brand."

Sameer Nair is the new senior vice president of equity asset management at Peachtree Group. In this role, he will manage and implement asset oversight for Peachtree's real estate portfolio and preferred equity investments. Previously, Nair held the position of senior vice president of acquisitions and development at Hospitality Ventures Management Group, focusing on sourcing equity, debt, and third-party management opportunities, Peachtree said in a statement. Nair is an experienced asset manager with development and transactional expertise, Peachtree said. "Over the past decade, Sameer has been instrumental in the growth of some of the most respected companies in the hospitality industry," said Brian Waldman, Peachtree Group's CIO. "He has led multiple acquisition, development and investment efforts throughout the country, which gives him a deeper perspective of the industry and market."

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY is March 8, and hotel owners and large hospitality companies are taking time to make sure the women in the industry are reaching their full potential. Recent dATa shows women are improving their position in the industry, but more remains to be done. For California hotelier Sunil "Sunny" Tolani, thAT means giving female employees AT his company, The Prince OrganizATion, special training and time off for health care. For Tina Burnett, recently promoted chief development officer AT G6 Hospitality, home company of Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands, it means making sure women are included in the same way as their male colleagues. "AT our company, we believe women to be just as smart and capable as men-if not more so and there are intelligent and highly competent," Tolani said. "The traits generally associATed for good hospitality as good social skills, warmth, compassion, expressiveness, generosity and altruistic impulses. We are focusing on the next generATion of women hoteliers and convey to them thAT really extraordinary careers can be made in our widely diverse Hospitality industry."

BANYAN INVESTMENT GROUP recently sold its Kimpton Goodland Hotel Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida, to DiamondRock Hospitality Co. for $35.3 million. The sale is expected to bring a substantial return for investors in the Atlanta-based company, led by Andy Chopra as managing partner. The 96-room hotel is near Las Olas and Sebastian Street beach parks, Bonnet House Museum and Gardens, Sea Turtle OP Headquarters and multiple shops and eAteries. Hotel amenities include an outdoor, heAted pool, fitness center, loaner beach cruisers and beach items including boogie boards to folding chairs. F&B options include food and tiki-themed cocktails At Botanic At the Goodland or poolside drinks and snacks At the Good Bar. Originally the company was planning to hold the deal for a longer period, Chopra said. However, conditions changed to allow a deal thAt could generAte a 49.4 percent internal rAte of return for Banyan's investors.

THE MAJOR CHALLENGES faced by U.S. hotels are labor, the return of corporate, group and conference travel, the impact of inflation on cost lines and the energy crisis, said Michael Grove, COO of HotStats, in a recent presentation. In the same session at the International Hospitality Investment Forum, panelists debated the best metric by which to measure industry performance. While speaking during a panel session at IHIF titled "Decoding the Data", Grove said that the most pressing issue is fixed costs are being replaced by oncoming growth in the variable areas which changes the dynamic of the cost base. "One of the key items around the average rate growth is what's going to happen when the full business mix returns," Grove said. "We still have a lot more of the lower-rated business to come back-the tours and groups and the other segments. We need to look at the impact on the cost lines themselves, the expense items around the P&L and what impact inflation is having on those, what impact the labor challenge is having.

CHARLOTTE-BASED MAYA HOTELS has acquired two Hampton Inn hotels in North Carolina and South Carolina. The two Hampton Inns boast a total of 210 guest rooms and are Maya Hotels' second and third acquisitions over the last six months, the company said in a statement. The hotels are the 100-room Hampton Inn & Suites Charlotte-Arrowood Road in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the 110-room Hampton Inn Columbia Northeast-Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina. Maya Hotels, led by JD Deva as CEO, acquired the hotels on March 11. The Charlotte property is near Carowinds Amusement Park and Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The Columbia hotel is near U.S. Army Fort Jackson the University of South Carolina and downtown Columbia. Amenities at each hotel include outdoor pools, fitness centers, meeting spaces, and business centers. "We are excited to acquire these two top-branded assets at a discount to replacement cost," said Krishna Deva, vice president of Maya Hotels. "Charlotte and Columbia have historically been top markets for us, and we are thrilled to grow our presence in these two cities with such a strong brand affiliation." The acquired hotels complement Maya Hotels' existing footprint and will increase the current operating synergies the company has across North Carolina and South Carolina regions. The hotels will be renovated and managed by Maya Hotels. "We are so happy to continue growing our relationships with the Charlotte and Columbia communities, as well as with Hilton. We are also thankful to each of our investors and banking partners," said Deva. "The success of this transaction is a testament to our track record in the hospitality industry and our ability to adapt quickly in a rapidly changing lending environment. We look forward to bringing out the full potential of each of these properties with our hands-on management approach and the completion of major renovations at each property."

IN MARCH, THE U.S. celebrated the achievements and history of women as part of Women's History Month. In recognition of the month, some hotel companies introduced or continued programs aimed at increasing women's role in the industry. In line with the Women's History Month theme this year "Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories," Choice Hotels International kicked off its "HERtels at Choice Development Seminar" with nearly 40 franchise owners, general managers, and hotel associates in attendance. at the same time, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts' "Women Own the Room" initiative has signed over 30 hotels across the U.S. and Canada in the first year of its launch. Also, California hotelier and philanthropist Sunil "Sunny" Tolani issued a special message for the month. HERtels by Choice Choice Hotels took the recently held Hunter Hotel Conference in atlanta as a launch pad for its inaugural HERtels seminar. The event was held next door to the Marriott Marquis atlanta, Hunter's venue, and is an enhancement of Choice's HERtels program that was launched in 2021. "While industry-wide parity is improving, with more female investors, directors, and leaders in hospitality than ever before, women entrepreneurs still face significant economic and societal barriers when it comes to hotel ownership and development. As an industry, we owe it to the next generation of hoteliers to change this statistic," said John Lancaster, vice president for emerging markets, franchise development and owner relationships, Choice Hotels International. "This initiative and the invaluable resources it provides is a natural extension of our industry-leading emerging markets program and our enduring commitment to helping growth-minded entrepreneurs further their unique ownership journey."

PRESIDENT BIDEN'S STATE of the Union address before Congress on March 7 touched on several issues hotel industry associATions have been advocATing for a while. AAHOA and the American Lodging and Hotel AssociATion both issued responses to the speech and AAHOA held its 2024 Spring NATional Advocacy Conference during the week of March 14. The issues AT hand include the extension of tax credits, handling of junk fees for greATer disclosure and transparency and raising the federal minimum wage. During SNAC, more than 200 AAHOA leaders and members spent two days in Washington, D.C. The conference opened with a legislATive learning session AT the Ronald Reagan Building and InternATional Trade Center, followed by an evening Congressional Reception AT the Cannon House Office Building and then a full day of Congressional meetings. "Each year we continue to see the relATionships grow between our AAHOA Members and their elected officials," said Laura Lee Blake, AAHOA president and CEO. "Our twice-yearly advocacy conferences are quickly becoming the foundATion for shaping and driving nATional policy, and our members are making it happen."

AT THE 35TH Hunter Hotel Investment Conference, there was plenty to talk about. Several Indian American hoteliers were speakers AT the event AT the Marriott Marquis in ATlanta March 19 to 22. This year's conference came with "a profound sense of purpose, no limits," said Lee Hunter chairman of the Hunter Conference during his welcoming address. "Over the next three days, we're going to hear from numerous industry experts, as leaders in this industry, we understand the importance of embracing change, challenging the conventions and pursuing new opportunities," Hunter said. "It's with this in mind thAT as we sAT down to put forth our speaker lineup, this year, we focused on bringing new voices to distinguish. These voices are going to challenge you. They're going to inspire you, they're going to force you to think outside the box."

GEOFF BALLOTTI, PRESIDENT and CEO of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts will be recognized by UJA Federation of New York at its annual Hospitality Division event in June. The event is held in conjunction with the NYU Hospitality Investment Conference and will raise funds to support UJA-Federation's annual campaign, which supports a wide network of nonprofits. UJA Federation will hold the event on June 4, at 4:30 p.m. at the Marriott Marquis in New York City. The federation works with a network of hundreds of nonprofits in New York, Israel and 70 other countries to provide $180 million in grants affecting 4.5 million people annually. "For 15 years, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has supported UJA and the vital work it does caring for those in need while creating and fostering diverse communities where all are welcome," Ballotti said. "Together with my hospitality colleagues, we'll celebrate the extraordinary work of UJA and how it improves lives in communities across the globe."

Mit Shah today is CEO of Atlanta-based Noble Investment Group, a multi-million dollar company founded in his lifetime of experience growing up in the hotel business. It's a story he shares with many Indian American hoteliers, but he said it's a story thAt bears repeAting, a story of the American dream. Shah retells his story here for Asian Hospitality's Leadership Series, the first episode for 2024. Along with his family history, he also discussed Nobel's investment practices, the economy in general and lessons learned from hosting interviews with industry leaders for the BharAt Shah Leadership Speaker Series, named after his fAther, At the Hunter Hotel Conference in Atlanta. "My parents were immigrants to the United StAtes. In the 1960s they came here for a better life and educAtion. As they were doing thAt, they had friends thAt found themselves in this industry and buying small properties throughout the country," Shah said, adding thAt his parents bought their first hotel, the Winkler Motor Inn in Winston Salem, North Carolina in 1979. "I was 10 years old At the time, my younger brother was six years old At the time and thAt was the family business, a very common story thAt we hear throughout our industry. It's an important story to continue to tell because it's deeply rooted in the American dream."

JUST OVER ONE year ago, Marriott International severed its support for AAHOA over the association's 12 Points of Fair Franchising and support for franchise reform legislation in New Jersey. at AAHOA's 35th Annual Convention & Trade Show this year in Orlando, Marriott came back, albeit with its status remaining unclear. Also, AAHOA made alterations to the 12 Points aimed at providing more protection for members in the event of the franchiser's acquisition by another company. Also at AAHOACON24, Miraj Patel became the youngest chairman in the history of the association, Pinal Patel became its new secretary and immediate Past Chairman Bharat Patel and AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake spoke on how the history of the association led to its success.

AT THE 2024 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show held last week in Orlando, Florida, history was being made AT the same time it was being recalled. Miraj PATel assumed his role as the youngest chairman the associATion has had, while his predecessor BharAT PATel and AAHOA President and CEO Laura Lee Blake spoke on the legacy thAT led to the associATion's current success. AAHOACON24, the 35th nATional conference for the associATion, saw more than 7,000 registered ATtendees and 524 exhibitors AT the Orange County Convention Center, blocks away from Disneyworld and Universal Studios. It included more than 44 educATion sessions and had two times the number of sponsors than in 2023 with 26. Event revenue was 6 percent higher than 2023 and 31 percent higher than in 2022. The tradeshow sprawled over more than 84,500 square feet of exhibit space. In a speech during the first general session, BharAT presented his theory on whAT led to AAHOA's current stATus: compound success.

INTEGRITY INTERNATIONAL GROUP, led by Tony MATharu, has acquired two properties in London: ATlas House and Crescent buildings. ATlas House, a Grade II-listed building, is situATed AT the junction of King Street, Queen Street, and Cheapside, while the Crescent is locATed adjacent to Tower Suites by Blue Orchid Hotels. Both ATlas House and the Crescent will join the Blue Orchid Hospitality brand, part of Integrity, Integrity said in a stATement. Meanwhile, the company recently restructured its Garage Hotels Group, the stATement said. "The recent acquisition of ATlas House and the Crescent portfolio demonstrATes our continued commitment to invest in and breAThe new life into London property, particularly those buildings AT the end of their previous lives, ensuring thAT London remains the best place to live, work, visit, and invest," MATharu said. "The team AT Integrity InternATional Group has unrivalled expertise in ac

Bradley Nelson is the new senior director of facilities at Noble Investment Group, overseeing strategic product quality and directing the capital expense program across the firm's portfolio. He transitions from Spire Hospitality, where he served as corporate director, facilities, overseeing the development and maintenance of facilities and ensuring operational efficiency and sustainability, Noble said in a statement. Nelson previously held positions at Sage Hospitality, InterContinental Hotels Group, Concord Hospitality, and Twin Tier Hospitality, the statement said. "Brad is an outstanding addition to our asset management team, bringing a wealth of experience that will help support the continued growth of our institutional investment management platform," said Steven Nicholas, Noble's managing principal, head of asset management.

HYATT HOTELS CORP. reported strong early 2024 performance, with RevPAR and revenue growth, fueled by pipeline expansion driving its core hotel business and global franchise network. Systemwide RevPAR surged by 5.5 percent compared to 2023, while all-inclusive resorts net package RevPAR soared by 11 percent. Meanwhile, U.S. RevPAR increased by approximATely 2 percent, excluding the Easter impact, indicATing normalized growth. Net rooms grew by about 5.5 percent, with net income AT $522 million and adjusted net income AT $75 million, HyATt said in a stATement. Adjusted EBITDA stood AT $252 million, dropping by 9 percent compared to Q1 2023, mainly due to the Super Bowl in Phoenix, increased real estATe taxes, higher wages, and transaction costs from ongoing asset sales.

THE AMERICAN HOTEL & Lodging Association and Questex recently updated the lineup of speakers and events for The Hospitality Show, scheduled for Oct. 28 to 30 in San Antonio, Texas. The Show will offer networking opportunities and showcase new products from more than 400 technology and operations vendors, AHLA and Questex said in a joint statement. Confirmed speakers include Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts; Liam Brown, group president for the U.S. and Canada at Marriott International; Kevin Jacobs, CFO and president of Global Development at Hilton Hotels & Resorts; Brian Kirkland, chief information officer of Choice Hotels International; Kristie Goshow, chief commercial officer of KSL Resorts; Kevin Korab, president of Guest Worldwide; Scott Strickland, chief commercial officer of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts; and Greg Land, global segment leader for travel and hospitality at Amazon Web Services.

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."

UNITY WAS THE theme at Sonesta International Hotels' inaugural conference in Las Vegas. Sonesta essentially completed its integration with Red Lion Hotels Corp. with the announcement of a unified loyalty program, Sonesta Travel Pass, and combined website. Approximately 1,300 attendees, including franchisees, general managers of Sonesta's corporate owned properties and employees, came to the conference and trade show at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas. Along with keynote speakers and entertainment, the conference provided updates on the company's status. "My team and I have been looking forward to this moment for months to finally be with you, to talk with you, to listen to you and your guests and to show off a little to you," said John Murray, executive vice president for The RMR Group that owns Sonesta. "Because we really do have a lot to show off. We also have a lot to celebrate. Today we're here to celebrate the transformation of Sonesta and Red Lion's histories into our future as one Sonesta."