Our experienced hospitality management team with a combined average of 20 years of experience each in their various segments of the lodging industry including the takeover, re-positioning, and optimization of hotel operations; shares an entrepreneurial spirit and collectively is capable of achieving aggressive objectives.
Satis Patel – President
Satis founded Blue Star Hospitality in 2005 although he started venturing into real estate and commercial development since 1995 on an individual capacity. Since founding Blue Star, Satis managed to negotiate with Marriott International the conversion of its first Fairfield Inn & Suites which opened in 2005. Several other Marriott branded acquisitions followed along the way. Other hotel developments included Hilton, Wyndham, Choice Hotels and Radisson Hotels brands in the South East with a greater concentration around Asheville, North Carolina. Prior to Blue Star, Satis was part owner of Parkway Insurance Agency who offered specialized coverages for the hospitality industry and later ventured into Corporate America with positions at Cendant Corporation, Radisson Hotels & Resort and Choice Hotels as Director of Franchise Sales and Development.
Katherine Patel – Vice President
In 2017, Katherine joined Blue Star Hospitality as the Vice President of the Company. Katherine brings a great deal of experience in banking, insurance and financial management from her previous positions at Banco Uno and HSBC-Banistmo where she held the VP of Bank Assurance position. Prior to joining Blue Star, Katherine also held various sales and management positions with large insurance brokers including ALICO, PALIC, AIG and most recently ADESSA. Katherine holds an MBA with Minors in Marketing and Accounting and also another degree in Management.
Jessica Green – Director of Administration
Jessica has been an integral part of the Blue Star team since 2005 serving as Controller and Director of Administration. Jessica has a degree in OST with a concentration in Accounting and Administration. She brings over 20 years of financial and accounting experience, specializing in financial statements, budgets, as well as payroll benefits administration and coordination.
Olmedo Vargas – VP of Operations
Olmedo aka Mello is a founding member of Blue Star Hospitality where he currently serves as the Vice President of Operations. He is a native of Panama where he received his bachelor’s degree from University of Santa Maria (U.S.M.A) in Accounting and Marketing in 1997. In his role, he works closely with the company’s executive team, as well as the general managers to ensure a consistent approach to Hotel Operations across the portfolio of hotels. Mello has held various positions in his hospitality career and gained valuable Revenue Management experience during his time as well extensive experience in Operations, Construction and Renovations and all areas of Hotel Operations.
Salem Rana – Director of Operations
Salem brings a broad range of experience in all aspects of hotel management to the team. Prior to joining Blue Star Hospitality, Salem managed select-service as well as full-service properties for multiple hotel groups in the Asheville area. Having stared as a banquet setup crew member and working his way up through the hotel industry, Salem is a strong believer in leading from the front and developing team members to their fullest potential.
Carmella Sharpton – Director of Operations
Originally from Southern California, Carmella obtained her degree in Business and Communications at the University of Southern California. Moving to North Carolina in 2009, Carmella started her career in the hospitality industry near Appalachian State University and has recently been serving as a GM with Bluestar Hospitality since 2017. Having worked in sales and marketing in the busy metro of Los Angeles, Carmella brings her positive energy to the team. She believes in encouraging others to be their best and leading them to success.
Paul Ellis – Director of Real Estate
Originally from Lafayette, Louisiana, Paul grew up in Asheville, North Carolina. Paul credits his father, a commercial architect, for his ability to envision a property as both a developer, and an investor. Paul is driven by his creative insight, and knows the possibilities and values of a piece of property, making him an asset to commercial real estate players. He enjoys following market trends, reading about industry niche and economic trends, which enhances his specialty in commercial development and institutional investment.
Paul’s career in real estate began in 2004. His career and experiences in commercial real estate at Pulliam Properties, has allowed him to enhance his expertise in negotiating and developing new relationships, thereby enhancing his loyal following of clients. Paul has strong analytical skills and excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Paul deals with national tenants, 1031 exchanges, sell lease backs, commercial land developments that specialize in retail.
George Austin – CPA
George has been the company’s CPA for over 10 years. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee in Political Science. In 2001, he graduated from Western Carolina University with a master’s degree in Accountancy and has over ten years of experience in public accounting. He is a licensed CPA in North Carolina and a member of the North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants. George is also a Certified Valuation Analyst and a member of the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts.
Career Opportunities
We are always looking for talented, energetic people to join our staff. Please email our Human Resources department for more information.