BEHIND many of Tampa Bay's most ambitious developments and philanthropic initiatives stands Dr. Pallavi Patel, a visionary whose influence extends far beyond her distinguished career in pediatric medicine.
Together with her husband Dr. Kiran Patel, she has transformed the landscape of Florida's hospitality industry while making an indelible mark on health care and education.
Born in Gujarat, India, Pallavi met Kiran during medical school where she was immediately drawn to his confidence. "He exuded confidence," she recalled of their first encounter. "I was attracted to that, and we became almost instant friends." Their relationship defied cultural conventions, crossing Hindu caste boundaries – she from a merchant caste, he from a farmer one – requiring family negotiations before they could continue seeing each other.
After graduating and marrying in 1973, the couple practiced medicine in Zambia before immigrating to the U.S. on Thanksgiving Day 1976. Following specialty training at Columbia University – she in pediatrics, he in cardiology – they settled in Tampa in 1982, where Pallavi developed a successful pediatric practice while actively participating in her husband's entrepreneurial ventures.
Though often mentioned alongside her husband in business dealings, Pallavi's impact is distinctly her own. Known affectionately as "Dr. P" by patients and associates, she presided over Bay Area Primary Care, a network of 10 medical clinics she oversaw alongside her physician daughters, Sheetal and Sonali, and son-in-law Scott Judd.
Her influence in the hospitality sector became evident with the couple's gradual expansion into hotel ownership. The pinnacle of their hospitality achievements came with the $175-million Wyndham Grand resort in Clearwater Beach – the largest development on the beach – which opened in 2017 after years of planning and financial restructuring.
The resort exemplifies the Patels' vision for luxury accommodations with what Dr. Kiran described as "unprecedented levels of customer service and satisfaction." The family’s real estate portfolio consists of more than $1 billion in assets across hospitality, commercial real estate, and development sectors.
Their commitment to excellence earned the couple the Cecil B. Day Community Service Award from AAHOA in 2012, recognizing their contributions to an industry where their Florida association branch alone represents ownership of 1,200 hotels employing more than 35,000 workers.
"We feel that if we can help more people get an education, they can help us make the world a better place," says Pallavi, articulating the philosophy behind the couple's extensive philanthropy. This conviction led to their landmark $200 million commitment to Nova Southeastern University – including naming the Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences, which graduates more than 1,200 healthcare professionals annually.
Her passion for holistic development manifests in the Dr. Pallavi Patel Performing Arts Conservatory, which has enriched nearly 200,000 students' lives through instruction in dance, theater, and music over two decades. "Dr. Pallavi Patel sees the arts as a critical part of our society, as a formation in the arts provides a holistic education," notes a foundation document.
Now retired from medical practice, Pallavi remains a powerful force in shaping Tampa Bay's future.
