Oakland hotelier Sima Patel will assume the duties and responsibilities of chair of the California Lodging Industry Association (CLIA) Board of Directors in January 2004. Currently serving as CLIA Board vice chair, Sima and her husband Pravin are the owners/operators of the Holiday Inn Express and Suites Oakland Airport.

Patel was elected chair of CLIA by the Board of Directors at their annual membership meeting.

In the Indian culture, women are not brought up to lead. And yet, in this great country, women are offered the opportunity for new roles. I hope that I can inspire other Indian women to seek new responsibilities in serving and growing our industry, stated Sima Patel in her acceptance remarks.

As a member of the CLIA Board of Directors, Patel has been an active leader of the association since 1999. With nearly 25 years of lodging industry experience, Patel will work to further the mission of CLIA particularly in the areas of governmental affairs and CLIA member needs and rights. Patel also looks forward to strengthening the alliances between other industry associations and expanding upon the bridges already built.

Patel also serves on the board of the Oakland Convention and Visitors Bureau, is an active member of the local chamber of commerce, and was the 2002 recipient of the coveted Woman Hotelier of the Year Award as presented by the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA).

The Patels and their two teenage children reside in Oakland.

Headquartered in Sacramento, CLIA is California`s 1,200 member lodging and hospitality industry association, providing legislative, educational, marketing, and profit-oriented programs for independent lodging owners and operators. CLIA is the largest independent state lodging association in the United States.