Meet the Team

Co-Founder, Principal

Chief Executive Officer

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Amit Patel has over 15 years of hospitality experience as an owner and operator of select service hotels in the Northeast Ohio region. He holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Business & Management Information Systems and has 4 years of Strategy Management Consultant experience from IBM. Amit's expertise in both hospitality and business strategy makes him an invaluable leader for our organization.

Co-Founder, Principal

COO & Head of Asset Management

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Bhavesh Lad has over 15 years of real estate experience and over 8 years in hospitality. He is an experienced leader with over 15 years of technology infrastructure and automation background working at The Walt Disney Company, Dell, EMC and Amazon Web Services. Bhavesh grew up in Manchester, England, and attended California State University, Northridge (Bachelor of Computer Science) and Mount Saint Mary's University (Masters in Business Administration - Organizational Leadership). He lives in Solon, Ohio with his wife and two sons.

Co-Founder, Principal

Chief Strategy Officer & Head of External Affairs

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Bhavin Patel has over fifteen years of comprehensive business management experience and an exceptional record of accomplishments in operations, with expertise in real estate M&A. He has a proven ability to implement corporate goals and business objectives. Bhavin grew up in Northeast Ohio and attended the University of Akron (Bachelor of Science in Business Administration - Marketing) and Ashland University (Executive Masters in Business Administration - Entrepreneurship). He is an Executive Committee Member on the Board of the Northeast Ohio Apartment Association and a member of the Greater Akron Chamber Board. Bhavin lives in Bath, Ohio with his wife and two daughters.

Co-Founder, Principal

Property Improvement

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Michael Smith has over 25 years of general management, supply chain, and consulting experience with Exxon, PricewaterhouseCoopers, IBM, and Textura. He founded Barnett Advisors in 2010, a business consulting organization. Michael grew up in the Midwest and attended the University of Illinois (Bachelor of Science in Engineering), Washington University in St. Louis (Masters in Business Administration), and Cleveland State University (Real Estate Finance and Development). He is also a Six Sigma Green Belt and lives in Fairlawn, Ohio with his wife and two sons.

Co-Founder, Principal

President & CIO

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Saagar Parikh has over 15 years of experience on Wall Street, working at J.P.Morgan, KeyBanc Capital Markets, and Cohen & Steers. He joined Green Harvest Capital and Spark GHC as a Principal in April 2023, focusing on strategic vision, finance and development, and investor relations. Saagar grew up in Northeast Ohio and attended The Ohio State University where he double majored in Finance and Economics. He lives in New York City with his wife and two kids.

VP, Asset Management & Property Improvements

Frank Mancine has been passionate about hospitality since his youth in Pittsburgh, PA. He holds a degree in Hotel Management and has worked his way through various positions in the industry, starting at Hyatt. Frank's dedication and leadership have consistently earned properties spotless inspections, increased revenue, and top guest satisfaction scores. While now working in corporate offices, he continues to work closely with the hotels under his management, driving growth and success.

SVP, Investor Development

Lewis Baker, CFP®, CEPA, CRPS, brings 28 years of finance experience to Green Harvest Capital. He is a highly skilled wealth advisor specializing in comprehensive financial planning and tax efficiency. Lewis founded Baker Schilling Wealth Strategies in 2002 and launched Rock Creek Wealth Planners and Advisors in 2018. He is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) and actively contributes to various industry initiatives. Lewis is dedicated to his alma mater and community, serving on the service academy selection board and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.

VP, Investments & Capital Markets

Tanveer Bhatia has nearly ten years of experience in the hospitality and real estate industry, with a focus on finance. Prior to joining Spark GHC, he worked at Hodges Ward Elliott in real estate broking and Western Alliance Bank in hotel loan originations. Tanveer was born in Bombay, India, grew up in Virginia, and graduated from Liberty University with a double major in Finance and Economics. He currently lives in Atlanta with his fiancé.

Controller

Nina Woolf brings over a decade of experience in construction and property management accounting to our team. As Controller, she oversees accounting functions for Spark GHC and our parent companies, Green Harvest Capital and Spark Hotels. Nina's background includes roles at industry leaders like the NRP Group, Redwood Living, and the Amherst Group. Her expertise in operational excellence and implementing internal controls is invaluable to our growing organization.

Director, HR

Rich Ward oversees the human resource function for Green Harvest Capital, Spark Hotels, and other groups under their umbrella. With over 25 years of experience in the HR world, Rich has worked in various roles in the Hospitality, Retail, and Healthcare fields, with most of his career at The Cleveland Clinic. His extensive experience is being utilized to create and develop the Human Resources Department.

EVP, General Counsel

Nathan Felker oversees legal business matters for Spark GHC and our parent companies, Green Harvest Capital and Spark Hotels. With over 23 years of experience as a private practice attorney, Nathan has focused on real estate, business, and financial services matters. He has extensive experience in a wide range of commercial transactions and has counseled clients in various industries. Nathan previously led the legal team at Walter Haverfield for over six years, representing the Green Harvest Capital and Spark family of companies.