We’re powered by a simple belief: take care of people, and they’ll take care of the places that bring us together. From our associates and guests to our partners and communities, that care is where great hospitality starts.
Our Story
A family endeavor.
Four years after immigrating to the U.S. from India, brothers Rinkesh and Mitesh Patel and their parents founded RAM Hotels in 2002 with a single Days Inn in Phenix City, Alabama. What began as a family venture has since grown into a portfolio of more than 40 properties across the Southeast, founded on strong partnerships, great people, and a shared commitment to doing hospitality well.
What Guides Us
For the care of people and places.
We’re here to build great hotels, but that’s only part of the story. We’re also building careers, creating opportunities, strengthening communities, and contributing to local economies. We’re doing what we set out to do for our family more than 20 years ago—just on a much larger scale.
01.
Operational Excellence
We set high standards, pay attention to every detail, and take pride in doing things the right way.
02.
People-centered Hospitality
We put guests, team members, and communities at the center of every decision.
03.
Full Steam Ahead
We move with purpose, stay agile, and bring a can-do mindset to every opportunity.
04.
In Service to Our Community
We support our communities, from regular backpack drives to charitable giving.
Founders
A partnership with purpose.
Rinkesh Patel
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Rinkesh Patel
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Rinkesh Patel is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of RAM Hotels, a Columbus, Georgia-based family-owned hotel development and management company operating more than 40 Marriott, Hilton, and IHG properties across Georgia and Alabama, alongside a growing portfolio of independent hotel and food & beverage concepts.
In 1998, Rinkesh immigrated to the United States from India with his family, eventually settling in Alabama, where he began learning the hotel business firsthand while still in high school. He went on to study engineering at Auburn University—a discipline that sharpened how he approaches problems and builds systems—before co-founding RAM Hotels in 2002 with his brother Mitesh and their parents. Their first property was a Days Inn in Phenix City, Alabama, purchased with a simple purpose: to create opportunities for people and leave communities better than they found them. More than two decades later, that purpose still guides everything RAM Hotels does.
In 2026, the company was honored with two of Marriott’s most prestigious recognitions at Marriott Connect: Developer of the Year and the Partnership Circle Award. Rinkesh leads the company’s strategic vision, with a focus on acquisitions, brand partnerships, and continued expansion throughout the Southeastern United States
Mitesh Patel
Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer
Mitesh Patel
Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer
Mitesh (Matt) Patel is the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of RAM Hotels. After immigrating to the United States from India in 1998, Mitesh attended Auburn University, where he earned a B.S. in Business Administration. What he learned there set a foundation, but the real education came in 2002, when he co-founded RAM Hotels alongside his brother Rinkesh and their parents, starting with a single property and building toward something much larger.
As COO, Mitesh oversees the people and operational side of the business, cultivating the internal culture, systems, and teams that drive performance across RAM’s growing portfolio, which today spans more than 40 branded properties and independent concepts, including Olivine, a rooftop restaurant at the AC Hotel Auburn, and Formerhouse, a boutique hotel in Eufaula, Alabama. His core belief is simple: great hotels are built by great people. That conviction shapes everything from how RAM recruits and develops associates to how the company shows up in the communities it serves. The 2026 Marriott Developer of the Year and Partnership Circle Awards are, in many ways, a reflection of the culture of excellence he has helped build from the ground up.
Development & Construction Team
Creating enduring places.
Alston Auten
Vice President Development and General Counsel
Alston Auten
Vice President Development and General Counsel
Alston is the Vice President of Development and General Counsel at RAM. After serving as RAM’s outside legal counsel for many years, she joined RAM in 2026. In her role, she oversees and leads land acquisition, debt and equity placement, lender and investor relations, franchise licensing, and general counsel responsibilities.
Donnie Agnew
Vice President of Construction
Donnie Agnew
Vice President of Construction
Donnie Agnew is the Vice President of Construction at Virtuous Enterprises LLC. He joined Virtuous in 2022 and brings 16 years of experience in the industry. In his role, Donnie focuses on estimating and overseeing hotel construction projects. The thing he loves most about hospitality is seeing people enjoy the finished product.
Krunal Patel
Project Manager of New Builds
Krunal Patel
Project Manager of New Builds
Krunal Patel is the Project Manager of New Builds at RAM Hotels. Since joining the company in 2021, he has leveraged his background in hotel openings and project management complemented by coursework at Auburn University at Montgomery to deliver exceptional hospitality properties. Krunal focuses on leading projects through their entire lifecycle, from the initial prospecting phase to a successful grand opening. He thrives on the dynamic process of launching new hotels and building lasting value for the RAM portfolio.
Sagar Patel
Executive Vice President of Construction
Sagar Patel
Executive Vice President of Construction
Sagar Patel is the Executive Vice President of Construction at Virtuous Enterprises, the construction division of RAM Hotels. He joined RAM in 2016 as General Manager and transitioned through various roles within the company such as purchasing manager and project manager for new hotel openings and renovations. Today he oversees the construction team and brand requirements to ensure projects are delivered on time and on budget.
Darshan Patel
Project Manager and Director of Facilities Maintenance
Darshan Patel
Project Manager and Director of Facilities Maintenance
Darshan Patel is the Project Manager and Director of Facilities Maintenance at RAM CRE, LLC. He joined RAM in August 2025, bringing more than 10 years of experience across all aspects of hotel operations with a specialized focus on maintenance. In his role, Darshan leads the execution of all renovation and capital expenditure (CapEx) projects and oversees facilities maintenance for the company’s operating hotels.
Oscar Cadenas Priego
Director of Hotel Openings
Oscar Cadenas Priego
Director of Hotel Openings
As Director of Hotel Openings at RAM Hotels, Oscar Cadenas Priego’s role is essential in laying the foundation for each hotel’s long-term success. His focus is on coordinating new hotel openings, developing strong leadership teams, and ensuring every property is prepared to deliver exceptional guest experiences from day one.
Oscar brings over a decade of experience in the hospitality industry, with a background in luxury hospitality, hotel pre-openings, and operations. Throughout his career, he has always believed that genuine hospitality means treating every guest with the same care, warmth, and respect he would extend to his own family.
Management Team
Leading with care.
Michelle Spivey
Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Michelle Spivey
Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Michelle Spivey serves as Vice President of Sales & Marketing for RAM Hotels, a leading hotel management and development company headquartered in Columbus, Georgia. With more than 34 years of hospitality experience, Michelle is a seasoned sales and marketing executive with a proven track record of driving performance, building strong teams, developing strategic partnerships, and strengthening hotel market presence.
Michelle joined RAM Hotels in February 2011 and provides sales leadership for a diverse portfolio of more than 30 hotels representing leading hospitality brands, including Marriott, Hilton, and IHG. In her role, she oversees sales strategy and performance while fostering relationships that support the continued growth and success of the company’s portfolio.
Byron Browder
Executive Vice President
Byron Browder
Executive Vice President
Byron Browder is the Executive Vice President at RAM Hotels, bringing more than 15 years of hospitality experience and a distinguished background in hotel leadership, management, and organizational development. Since joining RAM Hotels in 2023, Byron has played a key role in advancing the company’s strategic objectives by aligning people, performance, and business strategy to drive sustainable results across the portfolio. His leadership encompasses operational performance, financial results, talent development, organizational culture, guest experience, and the continued development of high-performing leadership teams. Byron is deeply committed to building strong leaders, fostering a culture of accountability and excellence, and creating an organization positioned for continued growth and long-term success.
Mike Patel
Vice President of Accounting
Mike Patel
Vice President of Accounting
Mehul (Mike) Patel is Vice President of Accounting at RAM Hotels. He brings more than 25 years of experience across accounting, tax, and hospitality operations. Since 2021 he has led accounting for RAM Hotel Management, where he oversees the company’s financial reporting and accounting operations.
He joined RAM Hotel Management in 2019 as a hotel General Manager, then moved into accounting leadership in 2021. He has run day-to-day operations at the property level, so he understands what drives a hotel’s results. That experience shapes how he manages RAM’s finances.
Mehul holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee.
Deep Patel
IT Manager
Deep Patel
IT Manager
Deep Patel is an IT Manager leading technology operations, infrastructure, and support. Deep specializes in aligning IT strategy with business goals, strengthening cybersecurity, and delivering reliable systems that help organizations run efficiently. With a hands-on, solutions-focused approach, Deep is committed to making technology an asset that empowers people rather than slowing them down.
Kalpana Desai
Vice President of Talent Management
Kalpana Desai
Vice President of Talent Management
Kalpana Desai is the Vice President of Talent Management at RAM. She joined RAM in 2011 and brings more than 27 years of experience as a hotel owner and manager, with a strong background in hospitality leadership and employee relations. In her role, Kalpana focuses on talent management, building strong relationships with employees, and supporting a positive workplace culture. She especially enjoys working with people, helping employees grow, and creating an environment where teams feel valued and supported.
Monica Corbin
Vice President of Revenue Management
Monica Corbin
Vice President of Revenue Management
With more than 15 years of experience in revenue management, Monica’s career has been built on hard work, determination, and a genuine passion for driving results. She believes success isn’t just about where you end up. It’s about the challenges you overcome, the people you’ve lifted along the way, and the impact you leave behind.
Food & Beverage Team
Bringing people to the table.
Nicholas Wyatt
Corporate Director of Food & Beverage
Nicholas Wyatt
Corporate Director of Food & Beverage
Nicholas Wyatt is the Corporate Director of Food & Beverage at RAM Hotels. He joined RAM in 2025, bringing a background as an award-winning mixologist and wine director, chef, restaurateur, and multi-concept hospitality operator. At RAM, Nicholas leads food and beverage strategy, restaurant concept development, and operational standards across the portfolio, with a particular focus on building distinctive, chef-led restaurants and bars that can stand on their own beyond the hotels they call home. His approach is rooted in the belief that great hospitality requires equal attention to the food, the room, the people, and the business behind it.
Amanda Zimmer
Director of Brand & Social
Amanda Zimmer
Director of Brand & Social
Amanda Zimmer is the Director of Brand and Social at RAM Hotels. She joined RAM in 2026 and brings experience in food and beverage hospitality marketing. In her role, Amanda focuses on brand strategy, creative direction, and social media across RAM’s diverse portfolio. She is passionate about using creative storytelling to connect with audiences, strengthen RAM’s brands, and elevate the guest experience.
Campbell Cox
Area Director of Food & Beverage
Campbell Cox
Area Director of Food & Beverage
Campbell Cox is the Area Director of Food & Beverage at RAM Hotels. He joined RAM in 2026 and brings a strong background in independent dining concepts, along with experience serving as a task force manager across multiple locations. In his role, Campbell focuses on supporting food and beverage operations across the portfolio, developing and training teams, and improving service standards, cost controls, and overall performance. He enjoys the opportunity hospitality provides to develop people, build strong teams, and create memorable guest experiences.
Careers
Find your place at RAM Hotels.
Great hospitality starts with people who care: about the work, about each other, and about the communities around them. If that sounds like you, we’d love to have you on our team.
