Mr. Bennett has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors since April 2013 and served as Chief Executive Officer of the Company from April 2013 to November 2016. Mr. Bennett is the Founder, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Ashford Inc. and is also the Founder & Chairman of both Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. (NYSE: AHT) and Braemar Hotels & Resorts Inc. (NYSE: BHR). Mr. Bennett has over 26 years of experience in the hotel industry and has experience in virtually all aspects of the hospitality industry, including hotel ownership, finance, operations, development, asset management and project management. In addition to his roles at Ashford, over his career Mr. Bennett has been a member and leader in numerous industry associations. Mr. Bennett is a lifelong advocate of civic engagement and takes pride in giving back to the Dallas-Fort Worth community. Together with the Ashford companies, he supports numerous charitable organizations including Alzheimer's Association, Habitat for Humanity, North Texas Food Bank, the S.M. Wright Foundation and the Special Olympics. He holds a Master's degree in Business Administration from Cornell's S.C. Johnson Graduate School of Management and received a Bachelor of Science degree with distinction from the School of Hotel Administration also at Cornell. He is a life member of the Cornell Hotel Society. Experience, Qualifications, Attributes and Skills: Mr. Bennett's extensive industry experience as well as the strong and consistent leadership qualities he has displayed in his role as Chairman, his prior role as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and his experience with, and knowledge of, the Company and its operations gained in those roles and in his role as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ashford Inc., his prior role as Chief Executive Officer and his current role as the Chairman of Ashford Trust, are vital qualifications and skills that make him uniquely qualified to serve as a director of the Company and as the Chairman of the Board.