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| Minaz Abji |
PHOENIX—Minaz Abji, EVP of Host Hotels & Resorts, has been selected as the recipient for the 2016 Above and Beyond Humanitarian Award. The award will be presented at The Lodging Conference on September 28th.
The award is presented annually to a hospitality leader who is highly regarded for having given back to the industry or their community.
Past recipients include Jack DeBoer, chairman of Value Place; John Q. Hammons, founder, chairman and CEO of John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts; Michael Leven, president and COO of Las Vegas Sands Corp.; Joe McInerney, president & CEO of McInerney Hospitality International; Leland C. Pillsbury, co-chairman & CEO, Thayer Lodging Group; Hasmukh (H.P.) Rama, CEO & chairman of the board, JHM Hotels; and Randy Smith, chairman and founder of STR.
Abji has served as a member of the board of trustees to the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Foundation (AH&LEF) since 2006 and has been elected chairman each year since 2007. Over the last decade, Abji has helped guide the foundation in its fundraising, research and scholarship efforts. In addition, he has donated $100,000 to the AHLEF’s Opening Doors to Opportunity campaign. He has also volunteered and served on dozens of committees of the American Hotel and Lodging Association.
“I am humbled to receive this award and am grateful for the opportunities the hospitality industry has afforded me. I am passionate about giving back to educating the next generation,” said Abji.
“It’s so important to give back to the industry and nobody has given more,” said Harry Javer, producer and founder of The Lodging Conference. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Minaz at the AH&LEF and he is an industry treasure. His hard work, dedication and leadership has helped the Foundation to reach some tremendous goals over the past 10 years. His tremendous efforts will continue to bear fruit for years to come. The industry needs more people like Minaz.”
As EVP of Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc., Abji is responsible for the leadership of the global asset management, feasibility & portfolio analysis, business intelligence and revenue management departments. Abji has more than 40 years of hotel operations experience including 23 years with Westin hotels.
