AAHOA’s 2026 National Leadership and Advocacy Conference brought hotel owners and industry leaders together in Washington, D.C., for advocacy, education and conversations about the future of hospitality.
A highlight of the conference was the Leadership Exchange, “Leading with Vision: Building a Hospitality Legacy,” featuring Mitch Patel, Founder and CEO of Vision Hospitality Group, and Teague Hunter, president and CEO of Hunter Advisors.
Patel shared the story of building Vision Hospitality Group from a $3,000 start in 1997 into a growing portfolio of 45 hotels across eight states. Hunter moderated the conversation, drawing on more than 25 years of hospitality experience and leadership of more than $13 billion in hotel transactions.
Together, they explored the decisions and defining moments that shape a hospitality business over time — from taking early risks and navigating periods of uncertainty to developing future leaders and thinking beyond the next deal.
The conversation also looked at how the definition of success changes as a company grows. Patel reflected on the transition from building a business to building an organization that can continue beyond its founder, including the importance of culture, people and preparing the next generation to lead.
For AAHOA Members, the discussion offered a look at many of the challenges hotel owners face throughout their careers: when to take a risk, how to grow without losing sight of the values that built the business, and what it means to create a lasting legacy.
The Leadership Exchange reflected the larger purpose of AAHOA’s National Leadership and Advocacy Conference: Bringing together accomplished leaders, hotel owners, and industry voices to learn from one another while strengthening the relationships and collective voice of the hospitality industry.
By pairing Patel’s experience building and growing a hotel company with Hunter’s perspective from decades of hotel transactions and advising owners, the conversation gave attendees a rare opportunity to hear two respected industry leaders discuss not only where hospitality has been, but what it takes to lead it forward.
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ABOUT HUNTER ADVISORS
Hunter Advisors is an investment advisory firm focused exclusively on the sale, purchase and financing of hotels. Our team draws on nearly 50 years of experience and close ties to Wall Street and Main Street to help clients around the country navigate every phase of the brokerage process, from valuation to closing. Hunter Advisors is also the founder of the Hunter Conference, hosted annually in Atlanta for 36 years running. For more information, visit www.hunteradvisors.co, www.hunterconference.co or contact the Atlanta headquarters at 770-916-0300.