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SHEILA JOHNSON, FOUNDER and CEO of Salamander Collection, will receive the 2024 Peggy Berg Castell Award at The Lodging Conference 2024 in Phoenix on Oct. 8. The award, presented by the AHLA Foundation's ForWard initiative, recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to advancing women in hospitality. Johnson, who has developed properties in the U.S. and Jamaica, is active in professional sports, the arts and humanitarian causes. Johnson's Salamander Collection is the largest Black-owned luxury hotel company in the U.S. and ranks among the largest minority- and women-owned businesses in Washington, AHLA Foundation said in a statement. "It is hard to imagine an industry leader who embodies the principles of the Peggy Berg Castell Award more than Sheila Johnson," said Anna Blue, AHLA Foundation's president. "She has been an inspiration in so many areas throughout her career and continues to set standards for excellence in the hotel industry." The foundation said an independent group of industry leaders and stakeholders selected Johnson as the fifth recipient of the annual award. Recipients are principled leaders who champion inclusion in the hotel industry, creating new paths for women to advance. Julienne Smith, chief development officer for the Americas at IHG Hotels & Resorts, received the 2023 Peggy Berg Castell Award.

GEOFF BALLOTTI, PRESIDENT and CEO of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, is the second recipient of the Arne Sorenson Social Impact Leadership Award. The award is presented by the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the American Hotel & Lodging Foundation and the BHN Group. Ballotti will receive the award Jan. 22 AHLA Foundation's premier fundraising gala, Night of a Thousand Stars, and again during the 22nd Annual Americas Lodging Investment Summit in Los Angeles on Jan. 24, according to AHLA. The award is named after Arne Sorenson, the former president and CEO of Marriott International who passed away in 2021, and in December of that year David Kong, the recently retired president and CEO of Best Western Hotel Group, was the inaugural recipient. "Geoff - much like Arne - is a true embodiment of all the good that hospitality represents. His empathy, his accessibility and his commitment to doing the right thing is what makes him one of our industry's greatest leaders," said Chip Rogers, AHLA president and CEO. "The story of his success, from dishwasher to CEO of the world's largest hotel franchisor, is inspirational - as is his dedication to ensuring the success of future hotel leaders. I am lucky to call Geoff a colleague and friend, and it fills me with pride to honor him with this award."

SAI LLC, LED by president Rajesh "Raj" Bhagia, recently won the 2023 Hilton Americas Development Award for New Build - Tru by Hilton in Brooklyn, New York. The 101-room Tru by Hilton Brooklyn, which opened in March, marked the brand's debut in New York city. The Hilton Development team selected 52 winners based on criteria such as quality of hotels developed and in operation, commitment to quality of projects, impact on local community and early adoption of newer brands, Hilton said in a statement. Along with the Development Awards by Brand, categories included Lifetime Achievement Award, New Developer of the Year, Conversion Developer of the Year, Multi-Brand Developer of the Year, Multi-Brand Deal of the Year and Developer of the Year by Category. "We are thrilled to celebrate our owner and development partners who are the recipients of the 2023 Americas Development Award," said Danny Hughes, Hilton's president for the Americas. "Over the last year, we've seen travel continue to grow across the Americas, creating even more opportunities for our partners to welcome guests to their hotels in exciting destinations across every corner of the region. From our legacy properties to our new developments, we are excited to see this continued growth and add even more exceptional hotels to our portfolio."

HOSPITALITY INVESTMENT EXECUTIVE Leslie Hale has won the third annual Castell Award instituted by the American Hotel & Lodging Association Foundation, a statement said. The award honors a female trailblazer in the hospitality investment arena who paves the way for more women to rise to the top. The award will be presented at the Lodging Conference on Sept. 20. Hale is the president and CEO of RLJ Lodging Trust and vice chair of the AHLA board of directors, the statement said. She also serves on the board of directors of Macy's, Inc. and Delta Airlines Inc. The female leader is a Howard University Trustee and is a board member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond's Baltimore Branch. "Leslie is the ideal candidate for this important award," said Rosanna Maietta, president and CEO, AHLA Foundation. "Over the years, her dedication to advancing the hospitality industry sets the gold standard for leadership, she has inspired men and women in our industry, and we are thrilled to honor her leadership."

PEACHTREE GROUP IS the 2023 Developer of the Year in the Focused Service category by Hilton Americas Development Awards. The yearly awards recognize the achievements of owners, development partners, and hotel teams across different categories in the Americas, Peachtree said in a statement. "We are immensely honored to have been named developer of the year by Hilton, a distinction that underscores our desire to build outstanding hotels," said Mitul Patel, Peachtree Group's principal. "This recognition highlights our unwavering commitment to creating exceptional hotels and further strengthens our partnership with Hilton. This award is a testament to our strategic approach to hotel development, which combines identifying great locations, assembling a top-tier team and maintaining a steadfast focus on quality." Peachtree Group won the Multi-Brand Developer of the Year award from Hilton in 2022, the statement added.

PEACHTREE GROUP BAGGED multiple Marriott Select Brands Awards at this year's Marriott Select Brands Owner & Franchisee CONNECT Conference in Orlando, Florida. The awards recognize hotels for service, innovation and commitment to guest satisfaction. Peachtree is led by Greg Friedman as managing principal and CEO, Jatin Desai as managing principal and CFO and Mitul Patel as principal. "These awards are a testament to the exceptional work our hotel associates deliver every day," said Steve Mackenzie, Peachtree's senior vice president of operations, hospitality management. "These hotels have consistently excelled in guest and F&B satisfaction, setting a benchmark for unparalleled service, and we are proud to have them as part of the Peachtree family. Additionally, we extend our gratitude to our partners who entrust us with managing their properties. Their collaboration has been instrumental in achieving these accolades, showcasing our shared commitment to superior quality."

DAVID KONG, THE recently retired president and CEO of Best Western Hotel Group, is the inaugural recipient of the Arne Sorenson Social Impact Leadership Award. The award, sponsored by the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the American Hotel & Lodging Foundation and The BHN Group, is named after the late Arne Sorenson, the former president and CEO of Marriott International who passed away in February. Kong will be recognized during the AHLA Foundation's fundraising gala, the Night of a Thousand Stars on Jan. 23, as well as during the 21st Annual Americas Lodging Investment Summit in Los Angeles on Jan. 25, according to a press release from AHLA. The award will be presented annually to a senior-level executive in the lodging industry to recognize their leadership and community engagement. Nominations are reviewed by AHLA's executive committee and representatives from ALIS.

FIVE PROPERTIES IN the hihotels by Hospitality International portfolio have won the brand's 2023 awards for meeting and exceeding the company's standards of operations. All are Asian American owned. The hihotels 2023 winners are: President's Award - Scottish Inns & Suites in Hitchcock, Texas, owned by Nareshkumar Patel and Tejal Patel. Given to a franchisee who has been loyal to hihotels by Hospitality International, consistently demonstrated a willingness to accept positive change within the hotel industry, and received positive communication from their guests. Gander Award - Red Carpet Inn in Rochester, Minnesota, owned by Veena Patel. Given to a franchisee who embraces their local community in offering sponsorship for local events or teams, participates in charitable events, or embraces the needs of the local community. Named after Gander the service dog from Operation Fetch, a non-profit that performs planned acts of community kindness to further appreciation, education and awareness about service dogs PTSD, and dogs for visible and invisible wounds.

THE AHLA FOUNDATION recently held its 6th Annual Night of a Thousand Stars awards gala, recognizing leaders in the hotel industry and presenting Mark Hoplamazian, Hyatt Hotels Corp. president and CEO with the third annual Arne Sorenson Social Impact Leadership Award. The event also raised close to $1 million to support AHLA Foundation initiatives. Lina Patel, director of strategic franchise initiatives at Red Roof, also was recognized at the event held during the 2024 America's Lodging Investment Summit at the J.W. Marriott in Los Angeles. Shatterproof, a national nonprofit that promotes addiction treatment, also recognized Hoplamazian during ALIS. "The Night of a Thousand Stars Gala brings our entire industry together to celebrate the work and dedication of the unsung heroes of hospitality-the individuals at the heart of our industry," said Anna Blue, AHLA Foundation president.

HIHOTELS BY HOSPITALITY International announced the winners of its 2021 awards. These awards recognized six properties and a vendor in meeting and exceeding the company's standards of operations last year, the company said. "Last year was very challenging again for the hospitality industry, so it was truly inspiring to see so many of our franchisees show such tremendous resilience and determination to succeed. I'd like to commend every one of our award winners and nominees for going above and beyond and showing great pride in what they do," said Chris Guimbellot, president and CEO at hihotels.

HOTEL WEB SOLUTIONS provider Websrefresh recently received the Lawyer International Award for Best Web Design & Web Development Company of the Year for Arizona. The U.K.-based Lawyer International recognizes firms and individuals globally based on their individual areas of specialization within their geographical location. Recipients of the awards are judged by a panel of in-house counsel in the banking and private equity sectors along with public and private corporations, according to Lawyer International's website. Criteria include client retention, speed of response and assistance, and the ability to navigate complex situations while ensuring that clients are not concerned about or unsure of the outcome. "The winners, quite simply, represent those firms and individuals that are instrumental to the businesses that engage them, thus ensuring a swift, positive outcome is always achieved," Lawyer International said on its website. "These firms and individuals continually go above and beyond, always providing a high degree of demonstrable evidence which is consistent with positive comments from both clients and peers."

Amanda Hite, STR president, recently won the 2025 Shatterproof Hospitality Hero Award at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit in Los Angeles for her efforts to raise awareness of substance use disorder and end addiction stigma. She is the seventh recipient and the first woman to receive the award. Meanwhile, more than 70 hospitality companies raised $2.1 million to support Shatterproof's efforts to improve substance use disorder treatment in healthcare, Shatterproof said in a statement. "I am honored to receive this award, but more importantly, to help raise critical support for Shatterproof and the transformational work they are doing," Hite said. "STR is proud to collaborate with Shatterproof as they lead the way in advocating for people with substance use disorder, their families and the communities this disease impacts."

The 73-room Red Roof Inn-Hometown Studios by Red Roof Ridgecrest and the 50-room Fairmont Breakers Long Beach in California won the Lodging Econometrics/California Lodging Investment Conference 2025 Hotel Developments of the Year Award. The hotels were recognized in the select-service/extended-stay and luxury hotel categories, respectively. Craig Sullivan, CLIC's founder and president, and Bruce Ford, LE's senior vice president and director of global business development, will present the awards during the opening session of the conference on March 5 to 6 at the Westin Long Beach, CLIC and LE said in a joint statement. For Red Roof properties, the brand collaborated with an established franchisee to repurpose an aging asset, bringing two new hotel products to a growing market.

HILTON INDIA RECENTLY received the "India's No. 1 Company to Work For" award from Great Place to Work, a global research and consulting firm, for the second consecutive year. The recognition is based on a comprehensive survey of more than 5 million employees from across 1,750 organizations in India. The award ceremony took place in Mumbai last month. "It's a great honour to be named India's #1 Best Company to Work for 2024 for the second consecutive year," said Zubin Saxena, Hilton India's senior vice president and country head. "It embodies our dedication to fostering a work environment that instills pride and fosters meaningful connections for our team members. We are deeply grateful to all members of the Hilton India team, who bring their passion each day to work and deliver outstanding hospitality experiences for our guests." Saxena joined Hilton India in November from Radisson Hotel Group and assumed responsibilities in January, overseeing Hilton's operational hotels in India and leading the company's expansion in South Asia.

Dorraine Lallani, senior director of asset management at Westmont Hospitality Group, and Joseph Fan, president of Brighton Management, will receive a lifetime achievement award from the California Lodging Investment Conference. They will be honored at the Westin Long Beach on March 5 to 6. Lallani, former senior vice president at Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels, specializes in hotel acquisitions, due diligence, franchise relations and asset dispositions. Fan founded Brighton Management in 1994, serving Los Angeles, San Diego and Northern California, CLIC said in a statement. "Dorraine and Joseph have already made lasting impressions in the California hospitality industry, and we look forward to their continued contributions," said Craig Sullivan, CLIC's founder and president. "From managing more than 500 hotels worldwide for Westmont Hospitality to founding a leading property management firm in Greater Los Angeles, both have forged respected careers in California."

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TARAN PATEL, MANAGING principal of A-1 Hospitality Group and AAHOA Northwest regional director, has received the 2023 Lodging Operator of the Year award by the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association for his outstanding contributions to both the hospitality industry and communities. "Oregon's hospitality industry is filled with remarkable, passionate people who go above and beyond on a daily basis because they love what they do," said Jason Brandt, ORLA president and CEO. "These recipients represent not only some of our industry's most dedicated leaders and advocates, but also the exemplary service that sets the high standard for the entire industry to achieve." Following the completion of his MBA in 2015, Taran began working in operations and development, contributing to the company culture established by his parents. Under his leadership, A-1 Hospitality Group's hotels not only offered crucial assistance to their communities during the pandemic but also stayed operational, safeguarding job stability for their team members and enabling them to provide for their families during challenging times.

Pharmacy Business is a monthly magazine for independent and community pharmacists. With a circulation of over 10,000, it is the first choice among community pharmacists for breaking news, analysis, expert commentary and business advice. Founded in 1998, it covers all the burning issues in community pharmacy, from commissioning of pharmacy services and decriminalisation of dispensing errors to the drugs shortages and pharmacy funding. It also showcases the best of community pharmacies up and down the UK, highlighting the ways pharmacy teams go the extra mile for their patients, whether it is helping them to manage their long-term conditions, use their medicines correctly or deal with mental health issues. Pharmacy Business has won the "Best Support for Independent Pharmacy" at the Avicenna Media Awards on three occasions and keeps pharmacists updated on developments through the pages of its print magazine, website, podcasts, newsletter and Twitter and Facebook sites. The title is a must-read for community pharmacists, national pharmacy bodies, pharmaceutical companies and anyone with an interest in community pharmacy and the pharmaceutical industry. The Pharmacy Business Awards were launched in 2000 to shine a light on the best of community pharmacy.

MIRAJ PATEL, AAHOA chairman, was named Businessperson of the Year by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston at its 25th Anniversary Gala on Sept. 21. The association congratulated Patel on becoming the youngest recipient in the chamber's history. Patel, a second-generation hotelier, began his hospitality career at a young age, growing up in his family's 30-room independent property, AAHOA said in a statement. He is now president of Wayside Investment Group, a Texas-based firm focused on lodging and hospitality real estate. "I am honored to receive the Businessperson of the Year award from the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston," said Patel. "It's a privilege to be recognized by an organization that champions the entrepreneurial spirit and supports the growth of our community. This award reflects the hard work and dedication of everyone at AAHOA, and I am grateful to be part of such an incredible network of leaders. I look forward to continuing to work alongside the chamber to promote the success of our businesses and our industry."