Neil H. Shah is President and Chief Executive Officer of Hersha Hospitality Trust (NYSE: HT). For the last 20 years, Mr. Shah has been instrumental in the acquisition, development, and management of over $3 billion of hotel real estate. Prior to Hersha, Mr. Shah served as a Consultant with The Advisory Board Company and the Corporate Executive Board, strategy research firms based in Washington DC. Mr. Shah is Chairman of the Institutional Real Estate Finance Advisory Council (IREFAC) of the American Hotel & Lodging Association and serves on the executive committee of the Board of Trustees for the National Constitution Center and the Florida Council of 100. Mr. Shah is a Research Sponsor of the Zell-Lurie Real Estate Center at the Wharton School and a member of the Real Estate Board at the University of Miami Business School.
Mr. Shah earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a Bachelor of Science in management with honors from the University of Pennsylvania and The Wharton School of Business. He earned his MBA from Harvard Business School.
Ashish R. Parikh has been Chief Financial Officer of Hersha Hospitality Trust since 1999. Prior to joining Hersha, Mr. Parikh was an Assistant Vice President in the Mergers and Acquisition Group for Fleet Financial Group where he developed valuable expertise in numerous forms of capital raising activities including leveraged buyouts, bank syndications and venture financing. Mr. Parikh has also been employed by Tyco International, Ltd. and practiced as a Certified Public Accountant with Ernst & Young LLP.
Mr. Parikh received his Master’s in Business Administration from The Stern School of Business at New York University (NYU) and Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Mr. Parikh is currently a board member of the Center for Real Estate Finance at NYU’s Stern School of Business, The Tisch Center at NYU, Philadelphia Real Estate Council, and a member of the M&T Bank Directors Advisory Council.
Michael R. Gillespie, Chief Accounting Officer, is responsible for the accounting, financial reporting and audit functions for the company. Prior to joining Hersha Hospitality Trust, Michael was manager of financial policy & controls for Tyco Electronics Corporation, responsible for the development, enhancement and implementation of financial controls. Previously, he served as a senior manager with the “Big Four” firms of Arthur Andersen LLP and KPMG LLP. Mr. Gillespie received his B.S.B.A in Accounting from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.
Stephanie Galli, Senior Vice President & General Counsel, is responsible for overseeing the legal department. Since joining the company in 2013, she has been involved in closing over $1 billion of acquisitions and dispositions, $1.5 billion of financing activity and establishing a $570 million joint venture. Prior to joining the company, Ms. Galli was in private practice with the law firm of Greenberg Traurig, LLP specializing in real estate and general corporate transactions. Ms. Galli received her law degree from Temple University School of Law in Philadelphia, PA.
David L. Desfor serves as Treasurer and Corporate Secretary of Hersha Hospitality Trust and has been a principal partner of the Hersha Group since 1991. Mr. Desfor oversees the corporate treasury and managing financial reporting for the Company. He has been in the hospitality industry since 1982, having previously co-founded and served as President of a management company focused on conference centers and full-service hotels. David earned his undergraduate degree from East Stroudsburg University in Hotel Administration.
William J. Walsh, Senior Vice President of Asset Management, is responsible for developing strategic plans for each property, reviewing all budgets and expenditures, and working with Hersha’s operators and third-party management companies to increase profitability and overall portfolio returns. Prior to joining Hersha, he worked for GF Management, a hospitality management company based in Philadelphia. Mr. Walsh joined GF Management in 1994 as a Regional Controller and was promoted to Corporate Controller in January 2000. Previously, he was the Controller for PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Mr. Walsh also served as a Controller and in various accounting related positions for the Radisson Hotel Corporation over a ten-year period. Mr. Walsh holds a B.S. degree in Accounting from Drexel University of Philadelphia, PA.
Chris Doyle, Senior Vice President of Asset Management, is responsible for oversight of a portfolio of luxury and lifestyle branded and independent hotels. Mr. Doyle is known for driving value, optimizing financial performance, brand development and building strong relationships with stakeholders. Prior to joining Hersha Hospitality Trust in 2013, Mr. Doyle held various operational, asset management and corporate finance positions at Marriott International and oversaw the corporate finance function for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. Mr. Doyle earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Babson College, where he majored in Finance and minor concentration in Entrepreneurship. He earned his MBA from Loyola University of Maryland.
Chas Hyatt, Senior Vice President of Acquisitions & Development, is responsible for managing the Company’s investment strategy from sourcing to execution, covering acquisitions and dispositions. Since joining the Company in 2015, Mr. Hyatt has led or been deeply involved in $1.8 billion of transaction volume across acquisitions, dispositions and financing. Mr. Hyatt joined the Company in 2015 from HEI Hotels & Resorts, a privately held lodging investment and management firm, where he held extensive roles within the firm’s investment, capital raising and operations/asset management functions.
Mr. Hyatt earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a concentration in real estate finance from the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration and is a member of the Cornell Hotel Society.
Mr. Hasu P. Shah is the Chairman Emeritus of Hersha Hospitality Trust. Prior to this role, Mr. Shah served as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and a Trustee of Hersha Hospitality Trust since the Company’s inception in May 1998, until his retirement in 2021. Additionally, he served as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer until his retirement in 2005. He is also a Senior Partner of the Hersha Group of Companies, based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Mr. Hasu Shah began his career in lodging with the purchase of a single hotel in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in 1984. Over the last 36 years, he has developed, owned, or managed over 110 hotels across the Eastern United States and led other businesses in general construction, purchasing/design, hotel management, and the operation of several assisted living facilities in Pennsylvania. He has been recognized for his business accomplishments and his philanthropic endeavors, including the Entrepreneur of the Year award given by Ernst & Young LLP and the Central Penn Business Journal Hall of Fame award for lifetime achievements in both business and philanthropy.
Mr. Hasu Shah and his wife, Hersha, are active members of the local community and remain involved with charitable initiatives in India and around the World. In 2010, Mr. and Mrs. Shah were honorably bestowed with the National United Way Tocqueville Society award, the highest honor given for philanthropic work across the country. Mr. Hasu Shah has been an active Rotarian for more than 30 years and continues to serve as a trustee of several community service and spiritual organizations including VRAJ Hindu Temple and the India Heritage Research Foundation(IHRF). As the President of IHRF, Mr. Shah, along with more than a thousand scholars, contributed to the creation of an 11-volume Encyclopedia of Hinduism, each volume is in excess of 600 pages.
Mr. Hasu Shah received a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from Tennessee Technical University and obtained a master’s degree in public administration from Pennsylvania State University, which named him as a Fellow. He also received an honorary Doctorate of Public Service (DPS) degree from Harrisburg Area Community College, as well as an Honorary Doctorate degree in Humane Letters from Central Penn College to recognize his significant contributions to the community and business alike. He is an alumnus of the Owner and President’s Management program at Harvard Business School.
Jay H. Shah is Hersha Hospitality Trust’s Executive Chairman. Mr. Shah is involved in all areas of the business with a particular emphasis on strategic relationships, capital transactions, asset management, and acquisitions.
Prior to joining Hersha, Mr. Shah formed Shah & Byler, LLP, a Philadelphia-based law firm specializing in real estate and construction. Earlier, Mr. Shah was also a consultant at the former Coopers & Lybrand LLP, now PricewaterhouseCoopers. Mr. Shah served as a legislative assistant to the late Senator John Heinz on Capitol Hill and has also worked with the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office.
Mr. Shah serves on Cornell University’s Dean’s Advisory Board for the School of Hotel Administration and is also a member of American Hotel & Lodging Association’s Board of Directors, American Hotel & Lodging Association’s Hospitality Investment Roundtable, the Philadelphia CEO Council for Growth, Young Presidents’ Organization, the Chief Executives Organization, and the President’s Leadership Council for Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health.
Mr. Shah earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, an MBA from the Temple University Fox School of Business, and a Law degree from Temple University Beasley School of Law.
Neil H. Shah is President and Chief Executive Officer of Hersha Hospitality Trust (NYSE: HT). For the last 20 years, Mr. Shah has been instrumental in the acquisition, development, and management of over $3 billion of hotel real estate. Prior to Hersha, Mr. Shah served as a Consultant with The Advisory Board Company and the Corporate Executive Board, strategy research firms based in Washington DC. Mr. Shah is Chairman of the Institutional Real Estate Finance Advisory Council (IREFAC) of the American Hotel & Lodging Association and serves on the executive committee of the Board of Trustees for the National Constitution Center and the Florida Council of 100. Mr. Shah is a Research Sponsor of the Zell-Lurie Real Estate Center at the Wharton School and a member of the Real Estate Board at the University of Miami Business School.
Mr. Shah earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a Bachelor of Science in management with honors from the University of Pennsylvania and The Wharton School of Business. He earned his MBA from Harvard Business School.
Jackson Hsieh has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Spirit Realty Capital, Inc. since May 2017, and is responsible for Spirit’s credit underwriting, new investments, and portfolio and asset management. Prior to joining Spirit, Mr. Hsieh worked for Morgan Stanley, where he served as Managing Director and a Vice Chairman of Investment Banking, primarily focusing on the firm’s real estate clients. Prior to rejoining Morgan Stanley, Jackson was Vice Chairman and Sole/Co¬Global Head of UBS’s Real Estate Investment Banking Group, managing a team of over 70 professionals in six offices worldwide. During his career, including a prior period at Morgan Stanley and tenures at Bankers Trust Company and Salomon Brothers, Inc., he served as senior lead banker on over $285 billion of real estate and lodging transactions. Mr. Hsieh is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, and earned a Master’s degree from Harvard University.
Thomas J. Hutchison III has more than 35 years of real estate and capital markets experience with specific expertise in lodging, hospitality, and real estate development. Mr. Hutchison was the Chief Executive Officer of CNL Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (CNL), a real estate investment trust that owned hotels and resort properties. During that same time period, Mr. Hutchison held various other executive officer positions with companies affiliated with CNL, including but not limited to President and Chief Executive Officer of CNL Hotel Investors, Inc. and Chief Executive Officer of CNL Income Properties, Inc. He currently serves as a consultant with Hutchison Advisors, Inc., a real estate services company. Mr. Hutchison has served as a member of the Hersha Hospitality Trust (NYSE: HT) Board of Trustees since September 2008 and has served as a member of the Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: VAC) Board of Trustees since 2011 serving on the Audit and Compensation Committees. Mr. Hutchinson is also a director for Target Healthcare REIT (LSE: THR); Vision360; and The Trinity Forum. He was formerly a director for ING DIRECT USA. He is a member of The Real Estate Roundtable, the Industry Real Estate Financing Advisory Council (IREFAC), Leadership Council for Communities in Schools, and the Advisory Council of the Erickson School of Aging Studies Additionally, he serves as a senior advisor to various service industry public companies. Mr. Hutchison attended Purdue University and the University of Maryland Business School.
Donald J. Landry is president and owner of Top Ten, an independent hospitality industry consulting company. Mr. Landry has over fifty years of lodging and hospitality experience in a variety of leadership positions. Most recently, Mr. Landry was the Chief Executive Officer, President, and Vice Chairman of Sunburst Hospitality Inc. Mr. Landry has also served as President of Choice Hotels International, Inc., Manor Care Hotel Division, and Richfield Hotel Management. Mr. Landry currently serves on the board of Condor Hospitality and corporate advisory boards of First Hospitality, Windsor Capital, and Campo Architects as well as numerous nonprofit boards. Mr. Landry is a frequent guest lecturer at Johnson and Wales University and the University of New Orleans. Mr. Landry holds a bachelor of science from the University of New Orleans, which awarded him Alumnus of the Year in 1999. Mr. Landry is a Certified Hotel Administrator.
Michael A. Leven is a legendary business executive and visionary philanthropist. Inspired by Warren Buffet’s and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge, Mike co-founded the Jewish Future Pledge to carry on his family’s commitment to Judaism. Mr. Leven currently serves on the boards of The Marcus Foundation; AEPi Fraternity Foundation; Birthright Israel Foundation; Board of Advisors of Prager University; Hersha Hospitality Trust (NYSE: HT); Independent Women’s Voice; Turning Point USA Board of Advisors and SESTRA Group. Professionally, Mike ended his tenure in 2019 as the chairman and chief executive officer of the Georgia Aquarium to devote more time to charitable endeavors like the Jewish Future Pledge. In the past, he has served as president and chief operating officer of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation (NYSE: LVS), the chairman and chief executive officer of US Franchise Systems, the president and chief operating officer of Holiday Inn Worldwide, and the president of Days Inn of America. Mr. Leven is a co-founder of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), an organization that has more than 19,000 members owning more than 40,000 hotels.
Dianna F. Morgan retired in 2001 from a long career with the Walt Disney World Company, where she served as Senior Vice President of Public Affairs and Human Resources. She also oversaw the Disney Institute – a recognized leader in experiential training, leadership development, benchmarking and cultural change for business professionals around the world. Ms. Morgan previously served as Chair of the Board of Trustees for the University of Florida and Chair of the Board for Orlando Health, a large multi-hospital system. Ms. Morgan currently serves on the Board of Directors of Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corp (NYSE: VAC) and Hersha Hospitality Trust (NYSE: HT). Ms. Morgan previously served on the Board of Directors of Chesapeake Utilities Corp. (NYSE: CPK), CNL Hotels & Resorts, Inc. and CNL Healthcare Properties II. Ms. Morgan also previously served as Chairman of the Board for the Children’s Miracle Network.
John M. Sabin is the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Revolution LLC as well as the Chief Financial Officer of The Stephen Case Foundation and the Case Family Office. Previously he was the Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel of Phoenix Health Systems, Inc. a private healthcare information technology outsourcing and consulting firm. Mr. Sabin was the Chief Financial Officer, General Counsel and Secretary of NovaScreen Biosciences Corporation, a private bioinformatics and contract research biotech company (acquired by Caliper Life Sciences). Prior to joining NovaScreen, Mr. Sabin served as a finance executive with Hudson Hotels Corporation, Vistana, Inc., Choice Hotels International, Inc., Manor Care, Inc. and Marriott International, Inc. all of which were public companies at the time of his service. Mr. Sabin has received Bachelor of Science degrees in Accounting and in University Studies; a Masters of Accountancy and a Masters in Business Administration from Brigham Young University, and he also received a Juris Doctor from the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University. Mr. Sabin is a licensed CPA and is admitted to the bar in several states.
6 out of 8 Board Members are Independent Trustees
All Committees composed of Independent Trustees
50% women and minority board members
Separate Chair of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
Risk & Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) Sub-Committee established to promote active and focused discussion of risk and risk oversight, as well as ESG goals, guidelines, and performance review
83% of our Named Executive Officers (NEO) pay is in the form of equity
Short-term and long-term incentives 100% based on performance