Kapoor & Kapoor - Our Team

CEO Partner & CFO Senior Vice President Senior Associate Speakers

Kapoor and Kapoor are comprised of an innovative and energetic team of veteran business consultants, investment experts, thinkers, hospitality educators and talented speakers who truly embody a passion for what they do. The strategic business and management plans initiated by this diverse mix of experts are guaranteed to turn heads in the world tourism industry.

Tarun Kapoor, CHE
CEO and Managing Director

Tarun Kapoor holds a M.B.A. from Michigan State University, a B.S. from the University of Wisconsin - Stout and has earned his CHA and CHE credentials from the American Hotel & Lodging Association. In September 2006 Tarun Kapoor retired as Professor in the Collins School of Hospitality at Cal Poly Pomona, where he was the founding Director of the Professional Development Institute, the School's industry service arm. He is the President and Managing Partner of Ascension Hotels, LLC an active owner and operator of several full and limited services hotels in the U.S. including Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn and Best Western.

Mr. Kapoor’s 30+ years of industry experience, first as Managing Director of luxury international hotels, and then owner/operator of three critically acclaimed restaurants and several hotels in the U.S., have gained him respect as a management expert and have enabled him to advise and consult for hospitality organizations throughout the world. Mr. Kapoor is frequently quoted in business and hospitality publications, has been extensively published in the field of strategic planning and is a sought after expert witness in hospitality cases.

Mr. Kapoor has been a featured speaker for many conventions and trade shows including the Southern California Society of Association Executives, the International Hotel, Motel and Restaurant Show, the National Restaurant Association, the Club Managers Association of America, and the Asian American Hotel Owner’s Association. Tarun Kapoor has extensive experience in consulting for large Fortune 100 companies, including Proctor & Gamble and boutique organizations like Alliance Hospitality and the Bel Air Country Club.   [Top]

Kamal Kapoor
Partner & Chief Financial Officer

Kamal Kapoor has over thirty years of International Banking experience in Asia, Africa & the Middle East. He has worked in various senior management positions with American Express, ANZ Grindlays, and Standard Chartered Bank and has played a pivotal role in reengineering and re-aligning the structure in these organizations. During his successful career, he has won several awards in International Operations with American Express and Standard Chartered Bank. Mr. Kapoor is also a partner in Ascension Hotels LLC an active owner of several full and limited services hotels in the United States.  [Top]

Ramesh Gokal
President & COO
Vista Hospitality Solutions

Ramesh Gokal is a 31-year veteran of the hospitality industry, with a recognized reputation in the areas of entrepreneurship, franchise leadership and mediation expertise. His diverse industry experience includes being an entrepreneur, owning developing and managing a diverse hotel portfolio, working as a brand president for the world's largest hotel franchise company, Cendant, and selling commercial real estate as a licensed real estate broker in the southeast. Most recently, Mr. Gokal is certified as a mediator and listed on the franchising Panel of Neutrals of the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution. He currently serves as the President of a franchising company offering the most bold and franchisee friendly program in the mid-tier of the lodging industry.

Visit Vista Hospitality Solutions at http://corporate.vistarez.com/

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Gregg Patterson, MPS
Senior Associate and Reflective Practitioner

Gregg Patterson has been General Manager of The Beach Club in Santa Monica, California for the past 20 years and is currently an Adjunct Professor at B.C.U. He holds an M.P.S. degree from Cornell University and a B.A. in British Imperial History from Colgate University. In addition to his ongoing responsibilities at The Beach Club and B.C.U., Mr. Patterson has been a visiting lecturer and professor at numerous hospitality management programs including Cornell University and UNLV and has been a featured speaker at management conferences around the country and the world.

Most recently he has worked with clients that include the Lawry’s Corporation, Sea World, the Asian American Hotel and Motel Association, the California Restaurant Association, the California Teachers Association, the Professional Club Marketing Association, and the International Association of Hospitality Accountants. Additionally, Mr. Patterson has been published in numerous trade publications and journals including, Board Room Magazine and Club Management Perspectives, and is the author of Reflections on the Club Experience, an anthology of essays on organizational culture and operations.  [Top]

Dr. Marc Clark, PhD, CHA

Dr. Clark is a hospitality veteran and educator of more than 30 years. A graduate of LaSalle University, he holds a Doctorate in Hotel/Restaurant and Tourism Management. Dr. Clark spent over five years as Director of Training at Opryland Hotel and seven years with the Education Institute of AH&LA as Regional Vice President. He has conducted over 3, 250 domestic and international seminars in such locations as Mexico, Canada, Thailand, Taiwan, India, Switzerland, and Spain. He holds the designations of CHA, CHRE, and CHE from the Educational Institute of AH&LA. He was awarded the Lamp of Knowledge from AH&LA identifying him as an outstanding national trainer.   [Top]

Dr. Arun Upneja, PhD

Dr. Arun Upneja is an Associate Professor of Hotel, Restaurant, and Recreation Management at the Pennsylvania State University. He has a PhD in Business Administration specializing in Accounting, and MBA and BS in Hotel/Restaurant Management, from the University of Houston. In addition, Dr. Upneja has a BA in Economics from the University of Jammu (India). Dr. Upneja is very involved in Executive Education, having lectured extensively in North America, South America, Europe and the Far East. His research work has been published in various hospitality publications, including: Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, Cornell Quarterly, and Journal of Hospitality Financial Management. Dr. Upneja has also served as the Treasurer of CHRIE, the association of hospitality educators.   [Top]

Dr. Randall Burtz, PhD

Dr Randall Burtz is a Research Associate for Kapoor & Kapoor Hospitality Consultants, Inc .specializing in survey design and statistical analysis.

Dr. Burtz has been active in the research field since 1996 and has performed research for private, state, and federal agencies. Apart from his work at Kapoor and Kapoor, he has performed research for the US Department of the Interior, the US Department of Agriculture, and the States of California, Alaska, Washington, Texas, Georgia, and Minnesota. His research has helped agencies create policy decisions in a wide range of applications.

Dr. Burtz holds a Ph.D. from Colorado State University’s acclaimed Human Dimensions Unit, specializing in research methodology. Formerly an Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University, Randall is currently an Assistant Professor at Western Washington University. At the University, he teaches coursework in Research Methodology, Management, and Budget and Finance. Dr Burtz is also an assistant editor for two national journals, using his expertise to critique publication submissions of international scholars. He is further active disseminating the latest findings in research methodology at national conferences.  [Top]