Ashok Patel was born in India and received a master’s degree in agricultural science. He moved to the USA in 1983 and lived in Houston, Texas for 9 years. Then he moved to New Jersey and spent another 8 years there. He is currently residing in Charleston, South Carolina where he owns the Econo Lodge. Ashok has had various types of business experience throughout his career. He bought the Econo Lodge in 2001(Goose Creek, SC 131), which has been an Econo Lodge since 1983 when it was built. He bought another hotel in 2005, the Best Western in Alabama. The Econo Lodge (Goose Creek) won the Gold Award in 2008.

Ashok is involved in various community works. He served as the treasurer of the Charleston Gujarati Samaj for 3 years, which consist of about 150 families. He is also a member of the Goose Creek Lion’s Club and a Berkeley County accommodation tax advisory committee member. He is also an executive committee member of the STCC of Charleston. Ashok is the proud father of 2 sons, one of which attends Georgia Tech in Atlanta and the other is in 10th grade. Ashok hopes that his involvement with the ELFA association will greatly an honor and challenging opportunities to work with all Directors, he encourages all Econo Lodge owners to participate with the ELFA association.