Monty J. Bennett is the Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of Ashford Inc. (NYSE American: AINC), a renowned real estate company specializing in the hospitality sector. Bennett's early exposure to the world of hotels kindled his passion for hospitality. With unwavering dedication, he has steered valuable assets, consistently enhancing his portfolio and delivering substantial returns to his investors. Additionally, Bennett is the publisher of the Dallas Express, a newspaper covering diverse news in the city.
In his current role, Monty Bennett serves as the driving force behind Ashford Inc. Leveraging his profound expertise in the hotel industry, he effectively manages day-to-day operations and shapes the company's long-term strategic direction. His overarching objective is to optimize revenue per available room by managing assets across various platforms.
Ashford Inc., an alternative asset management company, encompasses a range of operating businesses that provide investment management and global asset management services, catering to both the real estate and hospitality sectors. Bennett relies on an accomplished executive team with extensive industry success.
Bennett advises two real estate investment trusts, Braemar Hotels & Resorts and Ashford Hospitality Trust, both of which are listed on the NYSE. He plays a pivotal role in making strategic investments to foster the growth of these businesses, adapting his approach to suit the unique characteristics of each asset. Ashford Trust predominantly invests in full-service, upper-scale hotels, while Braemar Hotels specializes in luxury hotels and resorts, collectively overseeing more than 26,000 rooms under Bennett's stewardship.
Dedicated to offering investors a spectrum of meaningful options, Bennett empowers them to fine-tune their strategies based on available properties. His decision-making is anchored in ethics, innovation, profitability, engagement, and tenacity, underscoring the core principles that define his business. His unwavering consistency and leadership have firmly established Ashford Inc. as an industry pinnacle of excellence.
Monty Bennett embarked on his entrepreneurial journey by founding Remington Hotels in 1989. His leadership at Remington cultivated a culture of hospitality excellence, where every team member's input was valued in major decision-making processes. Bennett's commitment to openness and inclusivity fostered a high-performance culture, encouraging employees to build their careers while strengthening their portfolios.
Throughout his career, Bennett has demonstrated an innate ability to meticulously analyze problems before making decisions. He excels in executive-level forecasting, monitoring his company's performance and investor perceptions of various assets' size and liquidity.
Bennett's career has been marked by setting clear goals and metrics for the complex duties of his position. For instance, when he spun off Ashford Inc. from Ashford Hospitality Trust, his goal was to deliver robust returns to investors, showcasing not only the quality of different properties but also their appeal to savvy investors.
Monty Bennett's academic journey includes earning a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University School of Hotel Administration in 1988, followed by a Master of Business Administration from Cornell University Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management in the subsequent year.
In addition to his educational background, Bennett possesses a unique talent for uncovering the underlying story behind numerical data. He can identify the root causes of underperforming hotels, even when the reasons may not be immediately apparent. His experience allows him to foresee market trends and demographic shifts before they materialize.
A staunch advocate of civic engagement, Bennett is committed to building a fairer society. He is particularly vocal about educational equity, advocating for equal opportunities for children from diverse backgrounds. He actively supports charitable organizations, including the American Cancer Society, Alzheimer’s Association, and numerous others, demonstrating his generous spirit and commitment to philanthropy.
Outside of his professional endeavours, Bennett is a devoted father who divides his time between his Dallas residence and a sprawling 1,500-acre ranch in Athens, TX, a property with deep family roots spanning generations.
