HD Patel is the founder and chief executive officer of The Ephant Group, a real estate development firm in Knoxville, Tennessee. As CEO of The Ephant Group, HD stands out as a member of the elite group of dynamic and upcoming entrepreneurs in Knoxville who mold the city’s future through keen business acumen combined with a fresh global perspective. Originally from India, HD came to Devry University in 2008 and started working for a local hotel. Though he has found immense success, he worked from the bottom and worked his way up—a feat that has kept him humble and focused on the right thing. HD’s business motto is “Excellence is not a skill. It is an attitude."