Danny Lafayette

BWH Hotel Group® today announced that its Board of Directors has elected Danny Lafayette as Board Chairman for 2023. Lafayette, who previously served as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors, brings decades of hospitality experience and over 40 years of Best Western ownership to his role as Chairman.

During his time as a Best Western owner, Lafayette has served in numerous leadership roles. He served as a Best Western Governor for over 25 years. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 2018 to represent the interests of hotel owners in District VII, which includes the Northeastern region of the U.S. and the Eastern provinces of Canada.

In addition to Lafayette's work with BWH Hotel Group, Lafayette has been highly involved with the Maine Innkeepers Association, where he served as president of the association and a member of the board for several years. Lafayette was also named the recipient of the association's Community Service Award and was chosen as the association's "Innkeeper of the Year."

Lafayette's commitment to serving others has expanded beyond the hospitality industry, as he has delegated his time and expertise to various organizations and projects in support of his local community. In 2009, Lafayette and his wife raised significant funds to help build the Lafayette Family Cancer Institute. He also served on the board of the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce as well as the Pine Tree Chapter of the American Red Cross, and was president of the Bangor Breakfast Kiwanis Club, an organization dedicated to supporting the health and well-being of children. Lafayette served on the board for Northern Light Health for 14 years until he termed off the board in 2020. He was also involved with Northern Light Health's finance and safety/quality committees.

Lafayette graduated from Hampden Academy in 1973. He later went on to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point and graduated in 1977. He served five years as an Infantry Officer on active duty in the U.S. Army, and several years in the inactive reserves.

In addition to the election of Lafayette as Chairman of the Board, the Board of Directors also elected Phil Payne as Vice-Chairman and Steve Wahrlich as Secretary-Treasurer. Recently, Rajesh (Raj) Patel and Santosh Khanjee were also elected to the Board of Directors as Directors for District IV and District V respectively.