Press room

First Asian-American Women to Chair CHLA 2023 Board of Directors

Hee-Won Lim to focus on diversity, membership growth

SACRAMENTO, CA – (Nov. 17, 2022) – The California Hotel & Lodging Association elected its first Asian-American woman as Chair of its 2023 Board of Directors during its annual meeting today at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort.

Hee-Won Lim, Vice President and General Manager of the Pacific Palms Resort in the City of Industry, will lead the Board and the Executive Committee as CHLA celebrates its 130-year anniversary in 2023.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity and very mindful of the work done by those that came before me to make this moment possible,” Lim said. “I’m mindful of the critical moment our industry has this coming year to step forward with confidence as a collection of members united behind what’s best for hospitality and, by extension, what’s best for our communities.”

“Hee-Won brings a terrific sense for how California hotels will be defined as we recover from the impacts of the global pandemic,” said Lynn S. Mohrfeld, CHLA President & CEO. “We are fortunate to be guided by her during this critical time for our employees and our communities.”

Lim plans to focus on diversity and membership engagement during her one-year term, leading the executive committee, whose members include:

• Past Chair: Tom Patton, CHA, Ramada by Wyndham Santa Barbara
• Vice Chair: Dhruv Patel, Ridgemont Hospitality
• Secretary/Treasurer: Cormac O’Modhrain, Sunstone Hotel Investors

CHLA’s members appointed two new members and renewed five returning members, all for three-year terms starting in 2023:

• New members
  • Laura Lee Blake, AAHOA
  • Bijal Patel, CHA, Coast Redwood Hospitality
• Returning members
  • Laurenne Douglas, Pacific Plaza Hotels
  • Jon Handlery, Handlery Hotels
  • Pragna Patel, Samata Management
  • John Spear, Hotel Drisco