Dilip Barot

Dilip Barot is a well-known, Indian-born, American real estate entrepreneur. He is the founder of Creative Choice Group,^[1] a conglomerate of companies having interests in real estate development, investment, construction, asset management, and IT/ITeS.

Creative Choice Group’s core business activity is private real estate investment, development, and management. Mr. Dilip Barot also serves as President and CEO of several companies under the umbrella of Creative Choice Group (CCG), which span across the realms of development for multifamily residential, mixed-use, and commercial properties, investment management, and technology.

Barot was also chosen for the U.S. Corporate Stewardship Small Business Award by the U.S. Chamber and U.S. Department of Commerce in 2004. His entrepreneurial story has been featured in leading national and international publications like Forbes magazine -- “Imported Entrepreneurs” ^[2] and Reader’s Digest -- “Keepers of the Dream.”

Early Life and Education

Dilip Barot was born in the District of Mehsana, Gujarat state, India. He earned a 4-year degree in Pharmacy from L.M. College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad, in India in 1981.

Career

After completing his graduation, Barot immigrated to the United States of America in 1983. While waiting to get licensed as a pharmacist, he took a job managing a motel in New Jersey. A year later, he purchased a motel in Palm Beach, Florida, which he renovated and managed himself. Within a few years, he bought six more motels. Through careful stewardship, companies under his guidance purchased and renovated an abandoned housing project in Key West, which is now a profitable and thriving residential complex. This was followed by several more profitable acquisitions that eventually grew into what is now known as Creative Choice Group, headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Creative Choice Group now has multiple affiliate companies under its umbrella, and has developed a nationwide eminence for quality affordable housing by finding creative solutions to the complex issues facing housing revitalization. One of the affiliate companies, Creative Choice Homes, has been responsible for turning around some of the country’s most troubled affordable multi-family housing complexes.

In 2003, an affiliate of Creative Choice Group, led by Dilip Barot, ventured into the IT/ITES domain and acquired, L.M. Berry Direct (formerly BellSouth’s contact center), which is now called Etech. Etech is a leading business process outsourcer with centers in the U.S., India and Jamaica. Etech provides quality performance and services in all their inbound and outbound channels, as well as customer service and back office processes. Etech is a Tier One preferred provider for several Fortune 500 customers.^[3] They are a certified member of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) and a Texas Historically Underutilized Business (HUB). The Group’s most recent venture into Telecommunications led to the founding of WiMax Broadband, LLC, a Florida Corporation. WiMax Broadband provides Broadband to rural and suburban areas and VoIP-based digital phone services across the US.

Another ambitious project that Mr. Barot helped develop is Infocity,^[4] a 10-million-square foot project in India. The Infocity project is a world-class, mixed-use, self-sustained community being developed based on the concept of “A city within a city" and a 24/7 work culture. The project is developed in a prime location on 150 acres in the Greenest Capital City in the World – Gandhinagar in Gujarat, India. Infocity currently provides 4 million sq.ft. (with development plans for 10 million sq. ft.) of IT Built Up Space and Supporting infrastructure and services. Infocity has received the award for best-conceptualized IT Park in India.

Barot was also involved in the proposed development of a luxury oceanfront spa and resort named Amrit Resorts and Residences,^[5][6] spread across seven acres of land at Singer Island in Palm Beach, FL.

He is currently operated as Globe-Op Development, a Florida LLC.

Positions

Mr. Barot has served in the following roles:

• President and CEO of Creative Choice Group, FL
• Founder, Infocity, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India ^[7]
• Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Etech (ETI) ^[8]
• Founder, Amrit Resorts & Residences ^[9]

Awards and Achievements

Barot has received the U.S. Corporate Stewardship Small Business Award by the U.S. Chamber and U.S. Department of Commerce in 2004. Under his leadership, affiliates of Creative Choice Group have won several accolades and awards.

Creative Choice

• Best Real Estate Development in the 5 star category in Florida, US.
• Business of the Year by US Chamber of Commerce.
• Best Conceptualized IT Park in India by Outsourcing2India.
• Written about in Forbes, Reader's Digest, Wall Street Journal and many other prestigious publications.

References