Anupam Narayan, spouse of Judy Sugg MA’94, is a member of the Bates Center for Entrepreneurship & Leadership advisory board. Anupam has a niece, Prarthna Dayal BA’00, and a nephew, Dhruv Dayal BA’98, his sister’s children.
Anupam and Judy are both with Rockwood Associates LLC of Portland, Oregon, where Anupam serves as chair and CEO while Judy serves as president. The company provides strategic and business advisory services to institutions and individuals, with a special focus on the global hospitality and tourism industry in Peru, India, China, and the United States. In 2010, the Governor of the State of Washington invited him to join her trade mission to China and Vietnam.
Anupam has worked in the lodging industry for over 30 years, and until January 2010, he served as president, chief executive officer, and director of Red Lion Hotels Corporation. He joined Red Lion Hotels Corporation in 2004. During his tenure, the company increased its focus on core business operations by divesting unrelated businesses; acquired two hotels for a combined investment of over $50 million; initiated a follow-on stock offering to raise equity; strengthened the balance sheet; and improved its market position.
From 1998 to 2004, Anupam was with Best Western International, the world’s largest hotel chain, based in Phoenix, Arizona. He served as senior global strategy vice president and the acting chief executive officer. He was globally responsible for finance, global operations, quality and brand standards, strategy, procurement, and legal services there. He was instrumental in Best Western’s expansion in Asia and South America. Best Western International redefined its product during his tenure, improved its brand image, increased market share, and combined global operations.
Before 1998, for twelve years, Anupam was with a Kohlberg, Kravis, and Roberts (KKR) hotel and real estate company He has held leadership positions at public and private hotel and real estate companies, including Doubletree Corporation, Red Lion Hotels, Inc., and Holiday Inns, Inc. He has significant accomplishments in franchising, business turnaround, finance, brand strategy, planning, international operations, IPOs, debt financing, mergers and acquisitions, and development.
In 2003, the London-based Hotel Reports publication nominated Anupam for Business Leader of the Year. He is a frequent speaker at hotel industry and investment conferences worldwide and served on the board of directors for the International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IHRA) based in Paris, France. He has also served on the American Hotel and Lodging Association’s governmental affairs committee and the National University of Natural Medicine’s board of directors.
He currently serves on several boards, including IHCL, a $10 billion, public company (A Tata Enterprise) in India, Nehalem Bay Health District, Warm Springs Economic Development Corporation, and the Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation.
Anupam is a graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, India, and he received his MBA at the University of Florida. He is based in New Delhi and Portland, Oregon.