�Women are a growing force in hospitality,� said Hitesh Bhakta, chairman, AAHOA.  �I�ve seen their participation and power in the industry increase tremendously in my tenure at AAHOA.  The annual Women�s Conference provides a forum for women to gather, have some fun, talk and learn about both professional and personal issues that women face.�

This year the Women�s Committee, headed by AAHOA directors at large Surekha Patel and Saroj Patel, has planned a power-packed day full of successful women, including keynote speaker Swati Dandekar, Iowa state representative, and Rhine L. McLin, mayor of Dayton, Ohio.  Educational topics include �Achieving Excellence in Our Lives� and �Family Wealth: Keeping it all in the Family.�   Deepa Patel, M.D., of the Mayo Center will lead a health panel discussion featuring specialists in women�s health and internal medicine.

�We tried to plan an agenda that touches upon a variety of topics,� explained Saroj Patel.  �Women perhaps more than men have to find a careful balance between self, family and profession.  We think it�s important to blend all of those elements into the day.�

This combination of topics has proved successful.  Over the course of marketing the Women�s Conference, more than 300 women have become first-time members of AAHOA.

�AAHOA has grown 30 percent over the last four months,� said Fred Schwartz, president, AAHOA.  �The addition of 300 new women members as a direct result of the Women�s Conference is a testament to the hard work of the Women�s Committee and board of directors.�

�The Women�s Conference has always been about empowering women in our community and in hospitality,� said Surekha Patel.  �In the past few years, women have been showing more interest in educational opportunities and upper level management at their properties.  We�ve always been the backbone of this industry.  Now we want to encourage women to stay active and continue to make progress in a positive way.�

About Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) 
Founded in 1989 and representing more than 7,800 members, the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) is a leading force in the hospitality industry and one of the most powerful Asian-American advocacy groups in the United States.  The fastest growing association in the hospitality industry, AAHOA�s membership has grown 30 percent since April 2003.  Together the members own more than 20,000 hotels across the nation, which have 1 million rooms representing over 50 percent of the economy lodging properties and nearly 37 percent of all hotel properties in the United States.   AAHOA supports its members through year-round educational programs and advocacy in the legislature, media and hospitality industry.

Rya Hobart
Asian American Hotel Owners Association
Phone: (404) 816-5759
Email: [email protected]