Aakash M. Patel currently serves a member of the Indo-US Executive Committee. Previously, he served as Executive Committee secretary as well as a member of the media relations and membership teams. He was also a liaison to the Asian American Chambers of Commerce for Tampa Bay (AACC).
Aakash M. Patel has a diverse work background in journalism, government affairs, business development and public relations. Currently, Patel is the Public Relations Coordinator for the 255 room Westin Tampa Bay hotel and AquaKnox, a fine dining seafood restaurant located in the Westin Tampa Bay. He is responsible for directing all community and civic outreach for AquaKnox/Westin Tampa Bay in order to increase awareness of the newly opened waterfront property. Prior to joining AquaKnox/Westin Tampa Bay, Patel was Public Relations Coordinator at Phillips Development & Realty, LLC. At Phillips, he was responsible for the marketing and public relations for all of the company’s initiatives throughout the United States.
Patel was a recipient of the Tampa Bay Business Journal 2008 Up & Comers award in the Under 30 Category, named one of “Tampa Bay’s 100 Most Influential Business leaders” by Tampa Bay CEO Magazine, and was featured as a “Rising Star” by the St. Petersburg Times. In 2009, the St. Petersburg Times named Aakash M. Patel as one of the “5 People to Watch.”
Aakash M. Patel earned his bachelor’s degrees in English Literature and Political Science fromFlorida State University. While at Florida State, Patel was awarded the Milton S. Carothers Ethical Courage award for his leadership in Student Government. He also spent a spring semester at the FSU London Study Centre and is an alumnus of the Florida Chamber of Commerce’s College Leadership Florida program, Class VII.
In 2009, Hillsborough County Commissioner Rose Ferlita appointed Aakash M. Patel to represent her district on the Citizen’s Advisory Committee. He serves on the Board of Directors for Voices for Children of Hillsborough County, as well as the University of Tampa Board of Counselors. For the past three years, Patel has been on the Executive Committee of the Indo-US Chamber of Commerce and a Board member of Seminole Torchbearers. Aakash M. Patel is in the 2010 Tampa Connection class, and was most recently appointed to the Florida Aquarium Foundation Board of Trustees.
He is proud to be the Co-Founder of Future Leaders Friday Luncheon.
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