BERKELEY, Calif. - The California Hotel & Lodging Association (CHLA) elected its 2020 Board of Directors during its annual meeting on November 21, 2019, at the Claremont Club and Spa.

Bijal Patel (Vice President, Coast Redwood Hospitality) is stepping in as the 2020 CHLA Board Chair, with Michael Pace (General Manager, InterContinental Mark Hopkins) becoming immediate Past Chair. Patel will be supported by Tom Patton, CHA (General Manager/Partner, Ramada Santa Barbara) and Secretary/Treasurer, James Lim (General Manager, Omni San Francisco Hotel).

"As members of the California lodging industry, our board continues to evolve and reflect the diverse interests of our state," said Lynn S. Mohrfeld, CHLA President & CEO. "I know that our new leadership will continue to move our industry forward and respond to the issues that matter most to California's hoteliers."

The board also voted to add Druhv Patel (President and COO, Ridgemont Hospitality) and Todd Hersperger (Vice President, Sunstone Hotel Investors) as new board members and renew the terms of twelve board members with expiring terms.

These members are:

  • Bhupen Amin, Lotus Hotels & Investments
  • Laurenne Douglas, Pacific Plaza Hotels
  • Javier Cano, JW Marriott at L.A. LIVE
  • Paul Gibbs, CHA, Crowne Plaza LAX
  • Vipul Dayal, Days Inn San Francisco Airport West
  • Jon Handlery, CHA, Handlery Hotels, Inc.
  • James Lim, CHA, Omni San Francisco Hotel
  • Hee Won Lim, Pacific Palms Hotel
  • RJ Mayer, Jr., The Robert Mayer Corporation
  • John Spear, Hotel Drisco
  • Pragna Patel-Mueller, Samata Management, Inc.
  • Scott VandenBerg, Hyatt Regency Sacramento
Pictured Left to Right: Lynn Mohrfeld, CAE, President & CEO, California Hotel & Lodging Association, Bijal Patel, CHA, Vice President, Coast Redwood Hospitality, and Chip Rogers, President & CEO, American Hotel & Lodging Association— Photo by PR NewswirePictured Left to Right: Lynn Mohrfeld, CAE, President & CEO, California Hotel & Lodging Association, Bijal Patel, CHA, Vice President, Coast Redwood Hospitality, and Chip Rogers, President & CEO, American Hotel & Lodging Association— Photo by PR Newswire
Pictured Left to Right: Lynn Mohrfeld, CAE, President & CEO, California Hotel & Lodging Association, Bijal Patel, CHA, Vice President, Coast Redwood Hospitality, and Chip Rogers, President & CEO, American Hotel & Lodging Association— Photo by PR Newswire

In response to the strong board participation, Mohrfeld noted, "Our board's diversity and reinvestment into the lodging industry keeps us looking ahead to challenges of the future, while ensuring we address the pressing issues of today. I am excited to see how CHLA's board and members can shape 2020."

About the California Hotel & Lodging Association

The California Hotel and Lodging Association is the leading resource and advocate for California's more than 6,000 hotels, motels and boutique inns that employ more than 235,000 workers. CHLA, established in 1893, is the largest state lodging industry association in the nation and is a partner with the American Hotel & Lodging Association. For more information, go to www.calodging.com.

A.J. Rossitto
+1 916 554 2677
CH&LA