About Anupam Narayan, Chairman and CEO
Anupam Narayan has held leadership positions in the lodging industry for over 30 years. He currently provides strategic and investment advice to select clients and serves on a number of Boards. He has served clients in USA, China, Peru, Switzerland and India and is frequent speaker at conferences worldwide.
Until January 2010 he served as President and Chief Executive Officer and Director of Red Lion Hotels Corporation, a New York Stock Exchange company. Since joining Red Lion in 2004, the company increased its focus on core business operations by divesting unrelated businesses, acquired two hotels for a combined investment of over $50 million, initiated a follow on stock offering to raise equity, strengthened the balance sheet, improved its market position and increased investor awareness.
Prior to that from 1998-2004, he was with Best Western International, the world’s largest chain based in Phoenix, Arizona. He served as Senior Vice President for Global Strategy and as the Acting Chief Executive Officer. There he had global responsibility for Finance, Global Operations, Quality and Brand Standards, Strategy, Procurement and Legal services. He was instrumental in Best Western’s expansion in Asia and South America. During his tenure Best Western International redefined its product, improved its brand image, increased market share and combined global operations.
Prior to 1998, for twelve years he was with a Kohlberg, Kravis and Roberts (KKR) hotel and real estate company and was involved with large debt financings, Initial Public Offerings(IPOs), mergers and acquisitions and the capital markets.
He has held leadership positions at both public and private hotel and real estate companies, including Doubletree Corporation, Red Lion Hotels, Inc. and Holiday Inns, Inc. He has significant accomplishments in franchising, business turnaround, finance, brand strategy, planning, international operations, IPOs, debt financing, mergers and acquisitions, and development.
In 2003, he was nominated for Business Leader of the Year by the London based Hotel Reports publication.
He is a frequent speaker at hotel industry and investment conferences worldwide and served on the Board of Directors for the International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IHRA) based in Paris, France and also served as the Chairman of its Chains Council. He has also served on the CEO Council and the Governmental Affairs Committee of the American Hotel and Lodging Association. He is currently on the Board of Roots Corporation(Ginger Hotels), a Tata enterprise based in Mumbai, India and the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. He is also active in various non-profit organizations.
He is a graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur and he received his MBA at the University of Florida, USA.
Judith Sugg, President
Judith Sugg, Ph.D. brings a professional background in both in business and the non-profit world. Judy has a doctorate in psychology and an MBA. She brings 15 years of experience in corporate management and strategic planning, as well as equal time in consulting and social services. She has served on both corporate and non-profit boards, been a partner and project manager for an educational software company, and managed a training company. She combines her background and skills in planning, writing, and education in her work for Rockwood Associates.
