NASHVILLE, Tennessee — AAHOA convened the fifth edition of its HerOwnership Conference on September 27–28 in Nashville, drawing women hotel owners and hospitality leaders for two days of sessions built around the mechanics of ownership rather than inspiration alone.

The program leaned hard into operator-level concerns: hotel financing and lending, legal issues, bookkeeping, wills and trusts, daily hotel operations, technology and portfolio growth. Masterclass sessions on financing and lending were sponsored by Bridge, and separate tracks covered legal structures and estate planning — a signal that the association sees succession and capital access, not just networking, as the binding constraints for women building hotel portfolios.

Sponsored sessions took on issues that hit owners' P&Ls directly. Red Roof led a session on building a brand with purpose, hospitality software provider M3 presented on AI technology, and Primrose covered portfolio diversification. The AAHOA Charitable Foundation hosted a roundtable on leading with purpose, and additional discussions addressed creating long-term hotel value.

The event also featured a reception, Boots & Beats, with country singer Molly Lovette.

"HerOwnership continues to show what is possible when women in our industry have a place to connect, share their experiences, and learn from one another," AAHOA Chairman Rahul Patel said. "We heard honest conversations about ownership, leadership, business growth, and the challenges that come with building a career in hospitality. The connections made here will continue long after the conference, and that is what makes HerOwnership so valuable to AAHOA and our members."

Patel credited Purnima Patel, AAHOA Women Hoteliers Director, Eastern Division; Arti Patel, AAHOA Women Hoteliers Director, Western Division; and the Women Hoteliers Committee with planning the event.

Keynote speaker Simi Shah, founder and CEO of South Asian Trailblazers — a media platform, community and advisory agency focused on elevating South Asian voices — brought an owner-family perspective to the stage. Shah grew up in the hospitality industry and spoke about founding the company, the role her family played in her career and media platform, personal branding, and the importance of AAHOA to the hospitality community.

"I would not be the person I am today if I had not grown up in this industry," Shah said. "I am so glad I grew up in the AAHOA community."

She also acknowledged AAHOA's founders as the "giants on whose shoulders I stand" as she builds a podcast highlighting the achievements of South Asians.

AAHOA President and CEO Laura Lee Blake tied the conference's tone to the business decisions attendees make year-round. "Women hotel owners know the value of what they have built, and they are making decisions every day about how to grow and protect it," Blake said. "I am incredibly proud to be part of an association that champions women and honors the tremendous contributions they make to our industry every day."

The two regional Women Hoteliers directors framed the event's value in terms of peer exchange and mentorship — the kind that compounds beyond the conference itself.

"HerOwnership gives women a place to share what is really happening in their businesses and learn from each other," Purnima Patel said. "Some of the best conversations happen between sessions, when women are talking about the challenges they are facing and sharing ideas and solutions."

"Opening the door for other women is one of the most important things we can do," Arti Patel said. "If each of us opens the door for five women and helps them find their place in this industry, the impact can continue long after this conference."

Now in its fifth year, HerOwnership has settled into a format that pairs sponsors — Bridge, Red Roof, M3 and Primrose among them — with curricula on capital formation, estate planning and technology adoption, the levers owners pull to scale and protect portfolio value. Expect the conference to remain a fixture on AAHOA's calendar as the association continues to build its pipeline of women hotel owners.