Ed Brock is an award-winning journalist who has worked for various U.S. newspapers and magazines, including with American City & County magazine, a national publication based in Atlanta focused on city and county government issues. He is currently senior editor at Asian Hospitality magazine, the top U.S. publication for Asian American hoteliers. Originally from Mobile, Alabama, Ed began his career in journalism in the early 1990s as a reporter for a chain of weekly newspapers in Baldwin County, Alabama. After a stint teaching English in Japan, Ed returned to the U.S. and moved to the Atlanta area where he returned to journalism, coming to work at Asian Hospitality in 2016.
Asian American owned Websrefresh has won a pair of awards from the Media Innovator Awards program. The company, led by Nimesh Dinubhai, president and CEO, won “Best Hospitality Web Development Company” and “Game-changing Web Developer” for 2020.
The Media Innovator Awards program, sponsored by Corporate Vision Magazine, selects winners based on innovation and transformative work.
“We are always on our toes to provide top-notch services to the hospitality industry. We understand that in today’s competitive scenario, it is necessary to gain an online presence,” Dinubhai said. “Receiving these awards is an honor for us. We believe in continuous learning, and with every project accomplished, our team learns a new thing.”
Dinubhai started Websrefresh in 2003 in Phoenix, Arizona. It builds websites for hotels, hotel management companies and hospitality vendors. It provides online marketing, content writing and SEO, data analysis, social media, web security, eCommerce, mobile application development, hosting and photography and video production.
Last year, Websrefresh won for Full-Service Web Services Provider in the ACQ Global Awards. Dinubhai won the Gamechanger of the Year Award.
Who Is Kevin Carey, New AHLA Foundation CEO in 2025?
KEVIN CAREY, CHIEF operating officer and senior vice president of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, is now president and CEO of AHLA Foundation. He will remain AHLA’s chief operating officer while succeeding Anna Blue, who announced her departure in February after two years.
The announcement follows the Foundation’s Night of a Thousand Stars fundraiser, which gathered more than 400 industry leaders and raised more than $1 million for its initiatives, AHLA said in a statement.
“Now more than ever, the foundation’s programs and initiatives will play a vital role in advancing the hospitality industry and amplifying opportunities for its people,” said Rosanna Maietta, AHLA’s president and CEO. “Kevin is one of the industry’s most respected and seasoned leaders and a strong advocate of the AHLA Foundation and its team. I couldn’t think of a better person to lead the foundation given his experience in designing and securing funding support for broad-based industry initiatives.”
Carey, AHLA’s chief operating officer since 2017, has led initiatives supporting the association’s growth. He became interim president and CEO in March after William “Chip” Rogers stepped down to pursue other interests.
Anu Saxena, president of Hilton Supply Management and chair of the AHLA Foundation Board of Trustees, said Kevin has been instrumental in the association’s growth and a key partner in the foundation’s progress since its inception.
“On behalf of the officers and the board of trustees, we look forward to collaborating with Kevin as we embark on the next phase of the foundation’s transformation,” Saxena said.
Over the past two years under Blue’s leadership, the foundation expanded its team and increased the visibility of programs, including ForWard.
“I am thrilled to take on this new role and continue the important work of the AHLA Foundation,” said Carey. “The foundation plays a critical role in securing the future of our industry by developing its people, by creating communities underpinned by access and opportunity, and by raising awareness of the many pathways to rewarding hospitality careers. I look forward to working with our dedicated team to expand our collective impact, broaden industry engagement, and develop programs that welcome and support both current and future hospitality professionals.”
Before joining AHLA, Carey spent more than 25 years at American Express, leading global business groups. He also served on the Industry Advisory Board for the Penn State School of Hospitality Management.
In November, Carey joined the Small Business Administration's Small Business Lending Advisory Council to support capital access for small businesses, including those in underserved communities.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Asian Media
Group USA Inc. and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.
BRITISH INDIAN HOTELIER Joginder Sanger, 82, passed away in London on Friday night after being hospitalized following a stroke, Eastern Eye newsweekly reported. Jalandhar-born Sanger started in the UK with a travel agency and an exclusive Air India contract before establishing London hotels, including the Washington Mayfair, Courthouse Hotels in Soho and Shoreditch, as well as the Bentley in Kensington.
His hotels have hosted Indian celebrities, politicians, former prime ministers and Bollywood stars, Eastern Eye reported.
“He was a dear friend of mine since the 1950s; I will miss him terribly,” NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul, 94, was quoted as saying in the report. “Like me, Joginder was also born in Jalandhar, and we shared so many experiences together. He will be missed by the Indian community in Britain, to which he made immense contributions.”
Sanger was instrumental in expanding The Bhavan UK, part of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan network, a global arts, culture, and education movement. He joined The Bhavan London in the late 1970s, became part of its executive committee a decade later, and became vice-chair in 1993. He served as chair from 2011 until retiring in 2022. His leadership helped The Bhavan overcome financial challenges, notably through Diwali Banquets, which raised significant funds annually.
He called serving The Bhavan the “greatest honour of his life,” while leaders praised his role in advancing its mission to promote Indian arts and culture in the UK.
Sanger was honored for his contributions to business and philanthropy in the UK. He is survived by his wife, Sunita, son, Girish, and daughter, Reema.
In November, the U.S. hotel industry mourned the passing of Harris Rosen, founder of Rosen Hotels & Resorts, who died at 85.
Lallani & Fan Recognized for Lifetime Excellence in Hospitality at CLIC
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.”
Lallani managed a portfolio of select- and full-service hotels, handling properties from $2 million to more than $50 million and overseeing franchise development. Fan supports nonprofits, including the Special Olympics and Give Kids the World Foundation, and serves on the boards of the Taiwanese Hotel & Motel Association of Southern California and the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business Advisory Board.
CLIC is offering final reduced pricing of $650 through March 4, the statement said. The door price will be $750.
James Risoleo, president and CEO of Host Hotels & Resorts, will headline the Bharat Shah Leadership Speaker Series at the Hunter Hotel Investment Conference on March 20.
Jim Risoleo to Exchange Hospitality Insights at Bharat Shah Leadership Series
James Risoleo, president and CEO of Host Hotels & Resorts, will join Mit Shah, CEO of Noble Investment Group, for the Bharat Shah Leadership Speaker Series at The Hunter Hotel Investment Conference on March 20. The series, honoring Bharat Shah, is presented in partnership with Noble Investment Group and Georgia State University's Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality Administration.
“Jim and I have shared a deep bond and friendship throughout my career, during which I’ve had the privilege of witnessing his dynamic vision, unwavering leadership, and remarkable generosity,” said Shah. “His ability to propel Host Hotels & Resorts to extraordinary success is a testament to his strategic brilliance and deep expertise. More than that, Jim embodies the essence of servant leadership, always championing our industry and inspiring those around him to reach new heights.”
Risoleo joined Host, an S&P 500 lodging REIT and luxury hotel owner, in 1996 and became president and CEO in 2017, the statement said. He has more than 35 years of experience in finance and real estate, including roles at Interstate Hotels Corp. and Westinghouse Electric Corp. He holds a business degree and a juris doctor from Duquesne University and is a member of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania bars. He also serves on boards of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, Nareit, and the U.S. Travel Association’s CEO Roundtable.
Previous Bharat Shah Leadership Speakers include the late Arne Sorenson, president and CEO of Marriott International; Chris Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton; Mark Hoplamazian, president and CEO of Hyatt Hotels Corporation; the late Mark Elliott, president of Hodges Ward Elliott; Vince Carter and Grant Hill, NBA and NCAA basketball legends, business leaders, and philanthropists; Sara Blakely, founder and executive chairwoman of SPANX; Jesse Itzler, New York Times best-selling author and entrepreneur; and Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.
Leslie Hale, president and CEO of RLJ Lodging Trust, was featured in 2024.
“Each year, Mit invites us into the living rooms of our country’s most influential leaders, allowing us to witness the personal and professional journeys that have defined them,” said Lee Hunter, chairman of the Hunter Hotel Conference. “Jim’s story, his insights, and the leadership lessons he has cultivated throughout his remarkable career will leave an indelible impact on our students and conference attendees, inspiring them to carve out their own paths to success.”
Indian American hoteliers, including Shah, Mitch Patel, president and CEO of Vision Hospitality, and Al Patel, president of Baywood Hotels, were speakers at the 2024 Hunter Conference.
George Terpilowski is now senior vice president of operations at Salamander Collection, the luxury hotel company founded by Sheila Johnson. He will oversee day-to-day operations across the company’s hotels and resorts.
“George has an outstanding background in luxury operations with acclaimed independent and branded gateway city and resort properties,” wrote Prem Devadas, Salamander Collection president, in a Facebook post. “His leadership style will complement Salamander’s unique approach toward luxury, while his experience will allow us to continue to deliver results and enhance our growing reputation as a hospitality partner of choice.”
Terpilowski was regional vice president, Northeast, at Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, overseeing Fairmont Copley Plaza Boston, Raffles Boston and The Plaza Hotel in New York. He also served as managing director and regional vice president of Fairmont Southampton in Bermuda.
He began his career at Grand Heritage Hotels, managing The Brazilian Court in Palm Beach, Union Station Nashville, and The Clift Hotel San Francisco.
Terpilowski said Salamander Collection is a respected hospitality company, and he is pleased to join its culture.
“The company’s portfolio features extraordinary properties, and I look forward to working with the collection’s extremely talented managers and service professionals as we continue to grow,” he said.
In October, Johnson won the 2024 Peggy Berg Castell Award at The Lodging Conference in Phoenix, presented by the AHLA Foundation’s ForWard initiative to recognize contributions to advancing women in hospitality.