The People Behind BPR
In less than five decades, BPR grew from a one-hotel operation into one of the West Coast’s top hotel management companies. We didn’t, however, do it alone. Over the years, our company has worked with some incredible people — we still do. We think they’re our greatest strength, and we hope that you get to know them better.
B.B. Patel is a man of many talents: He's a registered engineer in the State of California, and helped found a pair of banks in his 25-plus years in the financial industry. His passion, though, lies in hospitality and real estate. Since founding BPR in 1973, B.B. has purchased, restored, and renovated a number of historic hotels. Today, he mainly focuses on strategic growth, finance, and acquisitions. WHAT DOES BUILDING A SENSE OF BELONGING MEAN TO YOU? I want our guests to feel like when they come to our hotels they are coming as my personal guests. I want them to feel welcomed and have a sense of belonging the moment they arrive at my hotel. GREATEST STRENGTH YOU LEARNED FROM YOUR PARENTS? Growing up my parents taught me to be strong. To work hard, be honest, hard work will never kill you. To work to the best of my ability and the score will come. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BPR HOTEL & WHY? I have a few favorite hotels. Best Western Executive Suites was my very first hotel and gave me my start in hotel management. Mountain View Inn was my first ground up construction project and I learned a lot about building. Cabana was my first full-service hotel and excelled me into a different league. IF YOU HAD A SPIRIT ANIMAL WHAT WOULD IT BE? My parents were farmers so growing up on a farm I was drawn to cows. Cows are very generous with their lives and behave in the most selfless manner. MOST LISTENED TO SONG ON SPOTIFY OR ITUNES? I listen to classical FAVORITE PODCAST OR BOOK? Anything that has to do with the five elements. Since earning a pair of master's degrees from the University of California, Berkeley, and Cornell University, Perry Patel has seen his star steadily rise. But despite being named one of the Silicon Valley Business Journal's "40 under 40" in 2012, he hasn't let success get to his head: Perry partners with a handful of local organizations, and opened a scholarship fund at his alma mater alongside his father, B.B. WHAT DOES BUILDING A SENSE OF BELONGING MEAN TO YOU? It’s when you’re in an environment where you can just be yourself and everyone and everything around you embraces it. GREATEST STRENGTH YOU LEARNED FROM YOUR PARENTS? Too many to list – my parents have taught me that you can never stop learning: ask questions, listen, and meet everyone I possibly can. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BPR HOTEL & WHY? All of them – I have grown up in each hotel, and each hotel has a special memory for me. IF YOU HAD A SPIRIT ANIMAL WHAT WOULD IT BE? Butterfly MOST LISTENED TO SONG ON SPOTIFY OR ITUNES? Journey – Don’t Stop Believin’ FAVORITE PODCAST OR BOOK? Tony Hsieh – Delivering Happiness. Rita Parasnis brings a one-of-a-kind resume to BPR Hotels: Since graduating from UC Berkeley in 1995, she's gone on to accumulate over 15 years of managerial experience in the high-tech and hospitality sectors. Rita's worked for and with companies as large as Oracle and other startup companies. Here, she's already helped establish uniform accounting, analytical, and operational practices; we're excited to see what the future holds. WHAT DOES BUILDING A SENSE OF BELONGING MEAN TO YOU? A sense of belonging means to create a community and making everyone feel welcome and at home. GREATEST STRENGTH YOU LEARNED FROM YOUR PARENTS? Independence and working hard. Growing up, I always saw both of my parents work extremely hard and their efforts always paid off. We learned early on to take care of ourselves and to stand on our own two feet. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BPR HOTEL & WHY? Hard choice because we love them all, but dearest to my heart is Hotel Shattuck Plaza as it was the first new project that Perry, BB & I worked on together. Berkeley will always have a special place in my heart as it's where I went to college & met my husband. IF YOU HAD A SPIRIT ANIMAL WHAT WOULD IT BE? Feline family. Felines tend to be very independent. They are bold in the face of danger, protective and very strong-willed. MOST LISTENED TO SONG ON SPOTIFY OR ITUNES? Anything from the '90s FAVORITE PODCAST OR BOOK? Current favorite is the Revisionist History by Malcolm Gladwell Next to B.B., Geoffrey is our most experienced partner. Over the last 30 years, he's filled a variety of roles, all the way up to the corporate level, for established and upstart hospitality groups alike. When he's not motivating his teammates, he loves traveling with his husband and young daughter: Odds are, you can find him hiking one of California's many trails or road-tripping along its coast. WHAT DOES BUILDING A SENSE OF BELONGING MEAN TO YOU? I equate a sense of belonging to being a piece of a large puzzle, where all the pieces are unique and different, but together they create a wonderful picture. GREATEST STRENGTH YOU LEARNED FROM YOUR PARENTS? My parents taught me to work through my problems, not to give up or run away from them. Tackle challenges head-on and with integrity and stay true to what you believe is the right solution. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BPR HOTEL & WHY? It would be hard to name a favorite, but I am currently drawn to the nature aspect of the Paradox in Santa Cruz. It stands apart from the stories of the hotels around it and dares to be different and unique. IF YOU HAD A SPIRIT ANIMAL WHAT WOULD IT BE? A wolf, the protector of my pack MOST LISTENED TO SONG ON SPOTIFY OR ITUNES? Tennessee Line by Daughtry FAVORITE PODCAST OR BOOK? My favorite series of book is Be, Do, and Faith by AC Ping John is a senior finance executive with 25+ years hotel and hospitality industry experience. He brings a unique perspective on real estate investment and hotel operations thanks to his extensive background working with owners, developers and resort operators across all segments of the industry. Originally from the U.K., he started his hospitality career as a resort Financial Controller in Australia. Having moved from Colorado in 2019, John and his wife are enjoying discovering all that northern California has to offer. They share a passion for travel and for the great outdoors, and when not working, John can be found hiking, mountain biking or playing soccer (covid permitting). WHAT DOES BUILDING A SENSE OF BELONGING MEAN TO YOU? Being part of something that is greater than the sum of its parts. The environment we create for our guests, and the success we experience as an organization is greater than our individual contributions. GREATEST STRENGTH YOU LEARNED FROM YOUR PARENTS? My scrappiness probably comes from my parents who grew up during wartime and constantly faced shortages, and had to “make do”. They were also as honest as the day is long, and I like to think their integrity rubbed off a bit on me. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BPR HOTEL & WHY? Tough to choose but I’m a big fan of the Hi-Lo Hotel in Portland, from the creative conversion of the historic building and dynamic room design to the exciting new food and beverage experience. IF YOU HAD A SPIRIT ANIMAL WHAT WOULD IT BE? An eagle: I like to see – and understand - the big picture. MOST LISTENED TO SONG ON SPOTIFY OR ITUNES? Impossible to pick just one song as it depends on my mood, and my tastes are pretty eclectic, but I never tire of the 70’s & 80’s rock music I grew up with. FAVORITE PODCAST OR BOOK? 100 years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, or The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho. True to heart an East Coast gal who graduated from Rutgers University is also a diehard Yankees baseball fan - ”Go Yanks!”. She now calls California home! Red Lion Hotels was where her “HR calling” first happened over 30 years ago. This journey has taken her through the different hospitality industries specifically in hotels, restaurants, and retail. She is very proud of her Filipino heritage, as well as, a proud Mom of college twins. Her biggest wish is to be part of a world where people see each other’s worth! #BPRPROUD WHICH OF OUR 5 PILLARS DO YOU MOST IDENTIFY WITH AND WHY? Being Authentic – Being authentic means you build authentic relationships built on the foundation of trust and respect. Trust & Respect is earned! I also believe being authentic means being humble. WHAT IS YOUR SPIRIT ANIMAL AND WHY? Turtle – The turtle teaches about walking our path in peace and sticking to it with determination and serenity WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE? “Remember, you can’t reach what’s in front of you until you let go of what’s behind you.” WHAT SONG DO YOU LISTEN TO THE MOST? There isn’t just one song I listen to the most. I listen to many songs from different genres. It just depends on my mood. (Pianist, Lang-Lang, the Carpenters, Meatloaf, Billie Holiday, Sam Smith to Smooth Jazz) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BOOK? Patrick Lencioni. There are two: A Leadership Fable – The Five Dysfunctions of a Team & his library of books. The other is Bridges of Madison County by Robert James WallerB.B. Patel
Chairman
Team member since 1973
B.B. Patel
Chairman
Perry Patel
President and CEO
Team member since 2005
Perry Patel
President and CEO
Rita Parasnis
Partner
Team member since 2005
Rita Parasnis
Partner
Geoffrey Sarabia-Mason
Vice President of Operations
Team member since 2018
Geoffrey Sarabia-Mason
Vice President of Operations
John Searby
Senior Director of Finance
Team member since 2018
John Searby
Senior Director of Finance
Liza Guinto
Corporate Director of HR
Team member since 2018
Liza Guinto
Corporate Director of HR