Patel named vice chair for American Hotel & Lodging Association and more Chattanooga-area career moves

  photo  Staff Photo by Matt Hamilton / Mitch Patel speaks during a meeting at Vision Hospitality in 2022.
 
 

Patel named vice chair for AHLA

Mitch Patel, president and CEO of the Chattanooga-based Vision Hospitality Group, has joined the executive committee as vice chair for the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

The organization is the largest hotel association in America, representing more than 30,000 members, and its executive committee includes leaders from all sectors of the lodging industry, including brands, owners, real estate investment trusts, management companies, branded properties, independent hotels and state associations.

"I am eager to build upon AHLA's strong legacy of success in our industry and collaborate with my fellow board members to work towards accomplishing the many vital objectives outlined in AHLA's strategic plan for this year," Patel said in an announcement of his new role.

Patel founded Vision Hospitality in 1997 after working as project traffic engineer with an Atlanta engineering contractor for the Georgia Department of Transportation.

  photo  Bert Kuyrkendall
 
 

Kuyrkendall joins TSW

Transportation planner and engineer Bert Kuyrkendall has joined the Chattanooga office of the architectural firm of TSW.

A graduate in civil engineering from Mississippi State University and in mathematics from Belhaven University, Kuyrkendall brings extensive transportation planning and design expertise to the architecture, landscape architecture and planning firm and will support TSW's Chattanooga; Atlanta; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Lexington, Kentucky, offices.

"As the former city transportation engineer for the city of Chattanooga and transportation design manager for Birmingham, Alabama, Bert has a keen understanding of how crucial transportation planning and engineering are to the design of sustainable and livable communities, towns and cities, and how to plan today for future needs as communities grow and evolve," TSW Principal Adam Williamson said in a statement.

  photo  Alicia Moore
 
 

Moore promoted at First Horizon

First Horizon Bank recently named Alicia Moore as business banking relationship manager.

In her new position, Moore will provide a full range of banking services to businesses with annual sales between $5 million and $25 million with a focus on client experience and risk management. The services include business and commercial lending, cash management and fraud prevention.

"Building relationships and serving our community to the best of our ability is always at the heart of everything we do, and there is no one better for this role than Alicia," First Horizon Chattanooga Market President Jay Dale said in an announcement of Moore's appointment.

A native Chattanoogan, Moore is a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. She serves as the board president for the Sexual Assault Victims Advocacy Center serving Catoosa, Walker and Dade counties.

Information about new hires, promotions and business awards should be sent to onthemove@timesfreepress.com.

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