Jay Patel

Jay Patel is the President of Wintergreen Hospitality, Inc., a privately owned hotel investment, development, and management business based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.1 He founded the company in 2007 after working for Marriott and has been leading it for over 17 years.1

Professional Background

Jay Patel has extensive experience in the hospitality industry:

• He started his career in entry-level positions, working as a busser, cleaner, host, and server at California Pizza Kitchen from 2003 to 2004.1
• He then moved to Marriott International, working in Front Office Operations at the New York Marriott Marquis from 2004 to 2006.1
• Briefly, in January 2007, he worked in Acquisitions & Development for W Hotels in New York.1
• Since 2007, he has been the President of Wintergreen Hospitality, Inc.1

Education

Patel has a strong educational background in business and hospitality:

• He earned a BSBA in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Kenan-Flagler Business School (2000-2004).1
• He also holds an MMH in Hospitality Management from Cornell University (2006-2007).1

Approach to Business

Jay Patel's approach to hospitality is deeply rooted in his personal experiences and values:

• He grew up in the hospitality business, living on the premises of family-owned roadside motels.2
• Patel focuses on building a culture of servant-minded people who are engaged in delivering hospitable interactions and love to innovate.1
• He emphasizes long-term thinking, looking at decades rather than quarters.1
• Wintergreen Hospitality, under his leadership, has been an early champion of the independent, lifestyle hotel movement in the Southeast.1

Recent Projects

One of Patel's recent ventures includes:

• The development of a new independent hotel concept called Hotel Refuge in the Carolinas.1
• A boutique hotel project in Charlotte, featuring just five bedrooms and a pop-up bar, which serves as a "learning lab" for future larger developments.2

Jay Patel's approach to hospitality combines his family background, formal education, and industry experience to create innovative and guest-focused hotel experiences.