Barry Patel Receives the Golden Eagle Award from the RGV Hispanic Chamber

Barry R. Patel, CEO of Ruby Red Hospitality and Perspective Hospitality Management Services, received the Golden Eagle from the Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce at its annual Noche de Gala, A Night in Bloom, on May 15, 2025, Texas Border Business reported. The Golden Eagle was the final and highest honor of the evening, recognizing leadership, business success and community involvement in the Rio Grande Valley.

Trained as a pharmacist, Patel studied at the University of Bradford in England and at Southwestern Oklahoma State University before moving into hospitality. His first hotel project was a Ramada Inn on South Padre Island, which he started while still living in New York. Since then he has developed more than 30 hotels and motels across the Rio Grande Valley, nine of them on South Padre Island, with more than $600 million in economic impact and more than 800 full-time jobs, according to the article. They include the Embassy Suites by Hilton McAllen Convention Center, the Courtyard by Marriott South Padre Island and the Aloft Hotel McAllen.

In his remarks, Patel thanked the chamber and its president, Cynthia Zakulenski, as well as the company's partners, employees and lenders. "I've lived in many places and met many people, but never have I experienced a community like the one I've found here in the Rio Grande Valley," he said.

Outside of business, Patel supports community organizations including Catholic Charities, Sea Turtle, Inc. and Friends of Animal Rescue, and he was inducted into the Rio Grande Valley Walk of Fame in 2018.