The Hotel Association of New York City has announced its new slate of officers for 2015–16, including the election of Vijay Dandapani, president and COO of Apple Core Hotels, as chairman.
Dandapani, a longtime member of the Hotel Association’s executive committee and board of directors, is a veteran of the city’s hotel industry with experience in property acquisition, hotel renovations, and new technology implementation. He has been instrumental in Apple Core’s growth and development since joining the company in 1993. He also serves on the boards of directors of NYC & Company, the New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association, and the International Hotel Motel & Restaurant Show held each year at the Javits Center.
“It’s a tremendous honor for me to serve as chairman of the Hotel Association and to work alongside our esteemed president, Joe Spinnato, in leading one of the industry’s most venerable organizations in the greatest city in the world,” says Dandapani. “I am pleased and honored to succeed Geoffrey Mills who has been an effective chairman and an integral part of our board of directors for more than a decade. On behalf of the entire organization, we thank him for his exemplary service.”
The Hotel Association’s list of officers for 2015–16 also includes:
Vice Chairman – Herve Houdre, general manager, InterContinental Barclay (InterContinental Hotels Group)
Secretary – John Fitzpatrick, president and CEO, Fitzpatrick Hotel Group – North America; Fitzpatrick served as chairman from 2011–12
Treasurer – Leland Lewis, general manager, Roosevelt Hotel (Interstate Hotels & Resorts)
Joseph E. Spinnato will continue to serve as the association’s president—a post he has held for 27 years—through 2015 when he will retire.
Established in 1878, the Hotel Association of New York City, Inc. is one of the oldest professional trade associations in the nation. Its membership includes 275 of the finest hotels in New York City, representing more than 76,000 rooms and 50,000 employees.
