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REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT management firm Noble Investment Group partnered with Host Hotels & Resorts to tap and expand travel, leisure and hospitality opportunities, a statement said. As part of the initiative, Host will invest $150 million as a limited partner in an existing Noble investment vehicle and provide Noble with first-look at select-service and extended-stay hotel opportunities sourced through Host's channels. Host also will become a minority investment partner in Noble's fee-based asset management business, according to Noble's press release. "As we continue to expand our institutional investment management platform, this strategic partnership further augments Noble's ability to develop, source, and execute innovative growth strategies in travel, leisure, and hospitality," said Mit Shah, Noble's CEO. According to the statement, the partnership will combine Noble's operational expertise and development acumen with Host's scale, market insights, data analytics, and breadth of resources. They aim to source differentiated investment strategies including property technology solutions, development, and alternative lodging.

IT'S BEEN A tough year for women in the hospitality industry, but progress has been made as more female executives took leadership roles, according to an annual report from the Castell Project, a nonprofit focused on promoting women in the industry. The next challenge, according to the project, is getting more women in hospitality education programs. Castell Project founder and chairwoman Peggy Berg released the 2022 Women in Hospitality Industry Leadership report during the Americas Lodging Investment Summit in Los Angeles earlier this week. During the conference, Berg received the ISHC Pioneer Award for her work in the industry, and she told a story during her acceptance speech that encapsulates where women are coming from in the industry. When she was in college, Berg said, the Equal Employment Opportunity Act lifted the restrictions on women working. So, she walked into a large firm looking for a job. "The partner in charge of the office, Jerry, he took one look at me and said 'Well, this will never work.' And then because of the EEOA, he said, 'I will give you a job if you promise not to get pregnant for two years,'" Berg said. "Jerry thought this was impossible. I thought Jerry didn't understand the law. Mostly I thought, if that's the barrier to success, the best vertical I have to cross, I can run this company. And a few years later, 140 men found themselves with a female partner."

JUST OVER ONE year ago, President Biden signed an executive order directing an "all-of-government approach" to assessing the status of the nation's supply chains to repair disruptions that are currently plaguing businesses large and small. The order led to the creation of a new plan, based on a six-month study, that the administration announced on Feb. 24 and which has earned the approval of the U.S. Small Business Administration and AAHOA. Biden's order a year ago led to the creation of the Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force. The report includes data from seven cabinet agencies, the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Commerce, Energy, Agriculture, Transportation and Health and Human Services. The administration announced additional actions to build long-term resilience across critical supply chains and formally institutionalize supply chain resilience.

THE PARTNER PROGRAM of American Hotel & Lodging Association reached a record 27 members with the addition of six new partners. The program offers industry suppliers and service providers an opportunity to engage directly with AHLA members at an executive level and increase brand visibility. Proskauer's Hospitality, Gaming & Leisure Group becomes a Gold Partner in the program, the association said. It has one of the broadest and longest-standing commitments to the hotel and lodging sector among major global law firms and has experience in handling every relevant issue in the industry. The five Silver Partners are Guest Worldwide, Marsh, NewGen Advisory, Relay and WizeHire, said AHLA.

MAYA HOTELS HELD grand opening for its Tru by Hilton Mooresville in Mooresville, North Carolina. Maya Hotels is led by co-founders J.D. Deva and Baldev Thakor. The Charlotte, North Carolina-based company held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Aug. 19, though it opened in July. Attendees included Mooresville Mayor Miles Atkins and Leah Mitcham, executive director of the Mooresville Convention & Visitors Bureau. "Today's event was the culmination of many months of hard work and the collaboration with city officials, our construction team, and our Maya Hotels team members to bring this fresh, new Tru by Hilton property to the Mooresville / Lake Norman area," said Parimal Thakor, vice president of Maya Hotels. The 120-room hotel is in the Langtree Lake Norman mixed-use development in Mooresville. It is near to Lake Norman and Langtree Plantation. Amenities include mobile check-in and a fitness center. The hotel is pet friendly.

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE direct lender and Peachtree Group affiliate, Stonehill, completed $1.2 billion in investments in 2022. Most were through loan originations and commercial property assessed clean energy financing primarily in the hospitality and retail sectors, a statement said. The investment includes $813 million in loans and $163 million as CPACE financing and the remaining $269 million was distributed across the industrial, land, mixed-use, multifamily, office and senior living real estate sectors, the company said. Stonehill said that its 2023 target is $1.5 billion and expects to invest $300 million in the first quarter. "Economic volatility coupled with uncertainty surrounding interest rates has severely decreased overall financing availability with capital providers. However, Stonehill not requiring capital markets execution has allowed it to remain active and to fill the gap in lending supply," said Mat Crosswy, Stonehill president and principal. In May 2022, Stonehill formed Stonehill CRE with Daniel Siegel as president to expand its commercial lending business. It focuses on heavy transitional assets and sectors of the credit market that are traditionally undersupplied. "We have spent years working on our capital formation, specifically so that we can be active and grab market share during periods of economic uncertainty. Also, by building our CPACE division in 2019, which completed $235 million in CPACE financing for the year, and now with Stonehill CRE, we are better positioned to provide lending solutions to a multitude of the market's current inefficiencies," said Crosswy.

ON JUNE 6, MIT Shah, founder and CEO of Noble Investment Group, will be recognized by UJA Federation of New York for his professional and philanthropic achievements. Also, Jenifer Eager has joined Noble as vice president of fund and corporate accounting. Shah will receive the award at the federation's annual Hospitality Division reception and NYU Investment Conference to be held at Marriot Marquis in New York. "We are so pleased to honor Mit this year," commented Jonathan Tisch, executive chairman of Loews Hotels and chair of UJA's Hospitality Division. "His leadership and history of giving back to the industry and community make him the perfect honoree." Shah said the UJA Federation's recognition is the realization of generations of work. "As the eldest child of immigrant parents in search of the American dream, I am honored to be recognized by my friend, Jon, and the incredible stewards of the UJA Federation," he said. "The UJA Federation inspires us to lead lives that matter and to help support those in need. It continues to have an immeasurable impact on humanity." UJA has been funding hundreds of organizations that are responding to ongoing challenges and emerging issues worldwide.

THE U.S. TRAVEL Association is urging Congress to implement short-term priorities to stimulate leisure and hospitality sector as 61 percent or nearly two-thirds, of all jobs still lost due to the pandemic are in this segment. The revised job data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the past several months confirmed that 10 percent of leisure and hospitality jobs now remain lost. "While the overall jobs report may be good news for some, the revised BLS data now confirms an even bigger revelation," said Tori Emerson Barnes, USTA executive vice president of public affairs and policy, in a statement. "The uneven recovery of the travel sector is due in large part to the lack of inbound international travelers, and the deep reduction in business travel and professional meetings and events. There could not be a more pressing time to support this vital contributor to the U.S. economy and rebuild American jobs."

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL and IHG Hotels & Resorts scored 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's 2022 Corporate Equality Index. The CEI is a benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality in the U.S. The index rates companies on criteria falling under four central pillars. That includes non-discrimination policies across business entities, equitable benefits for LGBTQ workers and their families, supporting an inclusive culture and corporate social responsibility. This was the ninth consecutive year for Marriott to make a perfect score on the index. This year the index included 1,200 U.S.-based companies and 242 Mexico-based companies. "Marriott International has a more than 90-year history of fostering a culture of inclusion and belonging," Ty Breland, Marriott executive vice president and chief human resources officer, said in a statement. "We are proud of this recognition for the ninth consecutive year and will continue to implement policies and programs that create a welcoming workplace for all."

The TownePlace Suites by Marriott Albuquerque Old Town in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is scheduled to open on Aug. 6. It is owned by IPMI Hotel Group and managed by Sun Capital Hotels led by Deepesh Kholwadwala as chief executive. The 92-suite hotel is near the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Albuquerque International Sunport and the city's downtown. Also nearby are Old Town Albuquerque, Sandia Peak Ski Area and the Sandia Peak Tramway. Hotel amenities include an indoor swimming pool with an outdoor patio and a board room.

PEACHTREE HOTEL GROUP and its affiliates, Peachtree PC Investors for capital markets and Peachtree Hospitality Management, made four changes at the senior leadership level recently. The promotions are intended to support the company's real estate investment platform and operation services, according to a statement. The Atlanta-based company, led by Jatin Desai and Mitul Patel as managing principals, promoted Greg Zabinski as executive vice president, capital markets for Peachtree PC Investors. Vivian Clarke is now senior vice president for people and culture. Steve MacKenzie was promoted to senior vice president over operations for Peachtree Hospitality Management, and Michael Ritz is now senior vice president for investments. "The success Peachtree is experiencing is creating significant opportunities for us in the talent space," said Greg Friedman, Peachtree's CEO. "These promotions support our strategic growth objectives, and we expect to have additional promotions and appointments as we further scale up our operations."

CHIP ROGERS, PRESIDENT and CEO of American Hotel & Lodging Association, is joining the cast of a magazine-style television series "Hotels ByDesign." The program's host Mike Chapman will showcase up to 35 hotels across the U.S. throughout its four half-hour episodes. Rogers will be part of a panel of architectural, innovation and industry experts who will discuss key design aspects of various hotels, AHLA said in a statement. "Hotels are at the cutting edge of informed design, as brands and hotel companies are constantly evolving to meet the changing needs of guests," Rogers said. "I'm excited to work with Hotels ByDesign to showcase the beauty and ingenuity of our industry." "It is with great pleasure that we turn our design lens towards hotels and vacation experiences," said Chapman, who also serves as the series' executive producer. "ByDesign continues the design conversation in front of a mainstream American and international audience, celebrating, commentating, and educating on excellent design. We are excited to be collaborating with the AHLA as we embark on new adventures - broadening our audience and telling exceptional design stories together."

OFFICIALS OF THE "She Has a Deal" annual hotel investment pitch contest announced the five teams selected to advance to the final round of SHaDPitch 2023. The competition allows early career women to compete for the prize of $50,000 of equity in SHaD's Prosperity Fund I, following the conclusion of a virtual, preliminary round of pitching, SHaD said in a statement. SHaD 2023 will be held at the new Marriott Headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland, on April 27 to 28. According to the statement, the goal of SHaD is to increase the number of women owning and developing hotels. It provides participants with the ability to source, analyse, raise capital and close hotel real estate investment deals. During the preliminary judging round, eight teams comprising 15 participants pitched their hotel investment acquisition or development projects live on Zoom to a judging panel of hotel business executives, entrepreneurs, and investors. The judges evaluated and selected the following five teams: Sydney Young and Rachel Nicholson with SpartanStone, graduates of Michigan State University, pitching a La Quinta Inn & Suites in Lewisville, Texas. Chandler Williamson with Chanders Core Commitment, graduate of North Carolina Central University, pitching a Hilton Garden Inn in Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina. Isabella Suffredini, Veronica Lewis and Alexandra Neoman with CROWN, graduates of Cornell University, pitching a TownePlace Suites in Houston, Texas. Makenna Price with Hookipa Hospitality, graduate of Washington State University, pitching a Fairfield Inn & Suites in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Allison Busch and Hannah Takekawa with AH Hospitality, graduates of San Diego State University, pitching a Staybridge Suites in Austin, Texas "Every year, I grow more encouraged that we are making an impact," said Tracy Prigmore, founder of SHaD. "These are brilliant women who benefit from the education and programming that SHaD provides, and their hotel investment acumen has grown by leap

LINA PATEL IS Red Roof's new director for strategic franchise initiatives. In the new role, Patel will direct the growth of Red Roof among diverse and underrepresented corporate and franchise communities. Patel has been a hotel owner for 23 years, according to the statement. Prior to joining Red Roof, she was the member of one of the industry's largest franchise advisory committees. In 2007, Patel joined the board of LPS of USA, a non-profit religious, cultural, and non-political organization providing support to American immigrants from India's Leuva Patidar region. She will report to Matthew Hostetler, Red Roof's chief development officer, the company said in a statement. "Lina is one of the strongest advocates for growth and diversity in our industry, and we are delighted to have her join our team as director of strategic initiatives," said George Limbert, president of Red Roof. "She brings a unique and multi-faceted background as a franchise owner, industry executive and AAHOA board member to her new role," Limbert added. Patel, who joined the board of AAHOA in 2017, played a role in launching the organization's HerOwnership program in 2022 - to help further foster, promote, and empower women entrepreneurs in hospitality sector. "With six years on the board of AAHOA, Lina has a deep understanding of the challenges everyday hotel owners face, as well as their paths to success, which she has demonstrated by example in her own career," Hostetler said. Hostetler said 35 percent of Red Roof's franchise system is represented by women.

PUNEET CHHATWAL, MANAGING director and CEO of Indian Hotels Company Limited, the owner of Taj Hotels, has been appointed as the new chairman of the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality. He succeeds ITC executive director Nakul Anand, who retired this week, FAITH said in a statement. Several national tourism and hotel associations, including the National Associations of Tour Operators, travel agents, hotels, transport operators, conventions & exhibition operators, and restaurants and tourism attractions, are members of FAITH. "With the backing of all members, my commitment is to develop this into a focused policy advocacy organization addressing issues in the tourism and hospitality industry, continuing the legacy established by Anand," said Chhatwal.

SATORI COLLECTIVE, A real estate investment management firm specializing in hotel properties, sold the 124-suite Holiday Inn Express & Suites at Alpharetta-Windward Parkway to Bukhari Group Hospitality. The sale resulted in an approximate 24 percent internal rate of return and a double equity multiple for the company, Satori said in a statement. Satori Collective is led by Andy Chopra as co-founder and managing partner. Bukhari Group Hospitality is led by Syed Bukhari, while his son Mehboob Bukhari is in charge of the hotel operations. "We acquired this all-suite property in 2013 and promptly executed a thorough, multi-million dollar value-add renovation, repositioning it as a Holiday Inn Express & Suites by IHG," said Samir Yajnik, CIO of Satori Collective. "Over the past decade, we stayed true to our vision and were rewarded by unlocking the hotel's financial potential. Our initial underwriting and research proved accurate, as evidenced by the realized upside from enhanced brand quality and the hotel's unparalleled location in the thriving Alpharetta market."

Sudhakar Veluru is now the executive vice president and chief information technology officer at Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts. Prior to this role, he served as the chief technology officer at MGM Resorts International, spearheading digital transformation initiatives that enhanced access to e-commerce, customer loyalty programs, and casino games across mobile and online platforms, Four Seasons said in a statement. Before joining MGM, Veluru held various senior leadership positions at The Walt Disney Co. He will report to Alejandro Reynal, Four Seasons' president and CEO. "We are excited to welcome Sudhakar at this important time in Four Seasons information technology transformation," said Reynal. "Sudhakar's extensive experience in technology and IT innovation will be instrumental in shaping our digital-first future, further enhancing the guest, resident and employee experience across our growing global portfolio of luxury properties."

Sonesta International Hotels Corp.'s Red Lion Inn & Suites in Elk Grove, Illinois. The 47-room mid-scale property is owned by Mahesh Chaudhari. "The opening of the Red Lion Inn & Suites Elk Grove is a testament to the brand's renewed growth nationwide," said Keith Pierce, Sonesta's executive vice president and president of franchise and Development. "This is the third Red Lion Inn & Suites location to open in 2024, underscoring how Sonesta continues to meet consumer demand for midscale properties with openings in secondary and tertiary markets." Sonesta said that guests at Red Lion Inn & Suites Illinois can earn or redeem points through the Sonesta Travel Pass loyalty program. Sonesta is the 8th largest hotel company, with approximately 1,100 properties totaling 100,000 guest rooms across 15 brands in eight countries, according to STR.

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.

TWO PROMINENT AAHOA members recently came out in support of Choice Hotels International's continuing efforts to merge with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, including one who is among Choice's nominations for Wyndham's board of directors. However, AAHOA said it remains concerned about the impact of the deal and released results of a survey of its members that found most opposed the merger. Since Choice first made its offer for Wyndham public in October after Wyndham's initial rejection the two companies have traded barbs trying to convince Wyndham shareholders to support or reject the deal. When Choice earlier this week named its eight nominees for Wyndham's board, among them was Jay Shah, executive chairman at Hersha Hospitality Trust. While Hersha has not replied to two efforts to solicit a comment from Shah about his opinion on Choice's offer, the candidates are expected to support it if elected in Wyndham's 2024 shareholder meeting. Also, in an article in Reuters about the takeover attempt, Mike Leven, who co-founded AAHOA, spoke in favor of the deal.