{{Short description|American businessman}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2021}} {{Infobox person | name = Monty Bennett | image = | image_upright = | landscape = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth based on age as of date|55|2020|7|5}}<ref name=":2" /> | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | education = Cornell University (BS, MBA) | occupation = Business executive | years_active = | employer = Ashford Inc. | known_for = | notable_works = | title = Chairman and chief executive officer }}
'''Monty J. Bennett''' (born {{Birth based on age as of date|55|2020|7|5|noage=1}}) is an American businessman who founded and is the chairman and CEO of Ashford Inc., a hospitality real estate company. He is also the publisher of the ''Dallas Express'',{{efn|name=DallasExpress|Unrelated to the former African American newspaper of the same name that was active from 1892 to 1970.}} a news website launched in 2021 in Dallas, Texas. He is a Republican donor and is known for various political causes in Texas.
== Early life and education ==
Bennett grew up in Houston, Texas, as one of seven children. His father, Archie Bennett Jr., was also a hospitality executive. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration in 1988,<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|date=April 28, 2017|title=Schedule 14A - Ashford Hospitality Prime, Inc|url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1574085/000104746917003038/a2232027zdef14a.htm|access-date=November 12, 2021|website=U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission}}</ref> and a Master of Business Administration from Cornell University's Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management in 1989.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Monty Bennett|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/5688027|url-access=subscription|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=March 17, 2020|website=Bloomberg}}</ref>
== Career == === Real estate career === In 1989, Bennett co-founded and joined Remington Hotels, a hotel company co-owned by his father.<ref name=":5" /> He grew the business from six hotels to over 130 by 2020, including Braemar real estate investment trust which operates 13 resort properties.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=Walters|first=Natalie|date=July 5, 2020|title=Villain or victim? How Dallas hotelier Monty Bennett became PPP's face of corporate greed|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/business/local-companies/2020/07/05/villain-or-victim-how-dallas-hotelier-monty-bennett-became-ppps-face-of-corporate-greed/|access-date=October 1, 2020|website=Dallas Morning News|language=en}}</ref> He was CEO of Braemar Hotels & Resorts until 2016 and since 2013 has remained its chairman.<ref name=":4">{{Cite press release|title=Ashford Hospitality Prime Rebranding to Braemar Hotels & Resorts|date=April 23, 2018|publisher=National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts}}</ref> He is also the founder of Ashford, a company that advises both Braemar Hotels & Resorts and Ashford Hospitality Trust, two publicly traded real estate investment trusts.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Monty J. Bennett|url=https://www.globalhotelnetwork.com/monty-j-bennett.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191129210843/https://www.globalhotelnetwork.com/monty-j-bennett.html|archive-date=November 29, 2019|access-date=November 12, 2021|website=Global Hotel Network}}</ref> Bennett was the CEO of Ashford Hospitality Trust from its founding until 2017, and he remains the firm's chairman.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|date=September 10, 2015|title=Bennett, Monty J.|url=https://www.twst.com/bio/monty-j-bennett-2/|access-date=March 17, 2020|website=The Wall Street Transcript|language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2020, a number of large companies were criticized for receiving funds distributed through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) during the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|last=Stone|first=Madeline|date=May 4, 2020|title=Everything we know about Monty Bennett, the Trump megadonor whose hotel conglomerate is returning its PPP funds after backlash|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-monty-bennett-hotel-mogul-who-received-ppp-loans-2020-4|access-date=November 12, 2021|website=Business Insider|language=en-US}}</ref> Bennett's Ashford company received $56 million,<ref name=":6"/> the largest such distribution.<ref name="Simek">{{Cite web |last=Simek |first=Peter |date=2021-06-11 |title=The Real Story Behind the Dallas Express |url=http://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2021/june/the-real-story-behind-the-dallas-express/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250405212933/http://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2021/june/the-real-story-behind-the-dallas-express/ |archive-date=2025-04-05 |access-date=2021-11-12 |website=D Magazine |language=en}}</ref> Ashford announced in May 2020 that it would return the money after the company received backlash.<ref name=":6" /> Ashford had laid off or furloughed 95% of its 7,000 workers by late March 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gandel |first=Stephen |date=March 18, 2020 |title=Major hotel executive: "I've just cut 95% of my staff" |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ashford-hospitality-trust-hotel-executive-monty-bennett-layoff-furlough-95-percent-staff/ |access-date=November 12, 2021 |website=CBS News |language=en-US}}</ref> Bennett forfeited 25% of his 2019 earned bonus, took a 20% cut in salary which he later took in stock only.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dallas Hotel Owner is Biggest Beneficiary of Coronavirus |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/dallas-hotel-owner-is-biggest-beneficiary-of-coronavirus-loan-program-11587568827 |access-date=31 July 2023 |publisher=The Wall Street Journal |date=22 April 2020 |quote=Bennett's salary by 20% and deferred 25% of his $2.3 million cash bonus for last year, public filings show}}</ref>
Bennett remained chairman of the board of Ashford Hospitality Trust after an attempt to replace him in 2024 by activist investor Blackwells Capital. He did not receive enough votes to be re-elected to the board at the company's annual shareholder meeting. The remaining board members followed the recommendation of the board's nominating and corporate governance committed and declined to accept Bennett's resignation.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hethcock |first1=Bill |title=Monty Bennett survives attempt to oust him from top spot on REIT's board |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2024/05/20/monty-bennett-asford-hospitality-trust-blackwells.html |access-date=11 June 2024 |publisher=Dallas Business Journal |date=20 May 2024 |quote=The remaining board members, however, declined to accept the resignations of Bennett or Jafarnia. That followed the recommendation of the board's nominating and corporate governance committee, the company said in May 14 announcement.}}</ref>
=== Publishing career === In 2021, Bennett launched and became publisher of the ''Dallas Express'', a conservative news website in Dallas, Texas.<ref name="CJR">{{Cite web |last=Bengani |first=Priyanjana |date=2021-10-14 |title=Advocacy groups and Metric Media collaborate on local 'community news' |url=https://www.cjr.org/tow_center_reports/community-newsmaker-metric-media-local-news.php/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250324210806/https://www.cjr.org/tow_center_reports/community-newsmaker-metric-media-local-news.php |archive-date=2025-03-24 |access-date=2021-11-12 |website=Columbia Journalism Review |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":22">{{Cite web |last=Simek |first=Peter |date=2021-06-11 |title=The Real Story Behind the Dallas Express |url=https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2021/june/the-real-story-behind-the-dallas-express/ |access-date=2023-07-29 |website=D Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Sisson |first=Patrick |date=2023-05-01 |title=The Many Battles of Texas Real Estate Mogul Monty Bennett |url=https://therealdeal.com/magazine/national-may-2023/monty-bennetts-fire-and-brimstone-journey/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250404191131/https://therealdeal.com/magazine/national-may-2023/monty-bennetts-fire-and-brimstone-journey/ |archive-date=2025-04-04 |access-date=2023-07-31 |website=The Real Deal |language=en}}</ref> It is unrelated to the African-American Dallas newspaper of the same name that published from 1892 to 1970.<ref name="CJR"/><ref name=":22"/><ref name=":0"/> In October 2020, ''The New York Times'' reported that Bennett had pitched a media network called Metric Media run by Brian Timpone to publish articles about topics ranging from COVID-19 stimulus legislation to U.S.–China policy.<ref name="nyti_AsLo">{{Cite web|last1=Alba|first1=Davey|author-link1=Davey Alba|last2=Nicas|first2=Jack|date=October 18, 2020|title=As Local News Dies, a Pay-for-Play Network Rises in Its Place|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/18/technology/timpone-local-news-metric-media.html|access-date=March 2, 2021|work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref name=":02">{{cite web |last=Bengani |first=Priyanjana |date=2021-10-14 |title=Advocacy groups and Metric Media collaborate on local 'community news' |url=https://www.cjr.org/tow_center_reports/community-newsmaker-metric-media-local-news.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250324210806/https://www.cjr.org/tow_center_reports/community-newsmaker-metric-media-local-news.php |archive-date=2025-03-24 |access-date=2021-11-12 |website=Columbia Journalism Review |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Simek"/> Bennett announced his acquisition of the ''Dallas Express'' in February 2021.<ref name="CJR"/><ref>{{Cite web |author=Rogers |first=Tim |date=2021-05-28 |title=An Editor's Note About Monty Bennett |url=https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2021/05/an-editors-note-about-monty-bennett/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240307223344/https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2021/05/an-editors-note-about-monty-bennett/ |archive-date=2024-03-07 |access-date=2023-04-01 |work=D Magazine}}</ref> That year, Bennett sued ''The Dallas Weekly'', alleging libel over its unfavorable descriptions of the new ''Dallas Express'', and prevailed at trial, although the case was dismissed on appeal in 2022 in ''Monacelli v. Bennett''.<ref name=":32">{{Cite web |last=Miranda |first=Janet |date=August 31, 2022 |title=Dallas Weekly Defeats Libel Claims Brought by Conservative Donor |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/dallas-weekly-defeats-libel-claims-brought-by-conservative-donor |access-date=2023-07-29 |website=Bloomberg Law |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rogers |first=Tim |date=2022-08-31 |title=Monty Bennett Loses in Court, Faces Possible Sanctions |url=https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2022/08/monty-bennett-loses-in-court-faces-possible-sanctions/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240830202400/https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2022/08/monty-bennett-loses-in-court-faces-possible-sanctions/ |archive-date=2024-08-30 |access-date=2023-08-21 |website=D Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2024, the ''Texas Observer'' reported that Bennett had retained the services of Crowds on Demand, a group known for offering protesters-for-hire, to create a number of advocacy groups that were routinely quoted in articles in Bennett's ''Dallas Express'' without their disclosing behind-the-scenes connections.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last=Monacelli |first=Steven |date=2024-10-18 |title=The GOP Megadonor Behind the Bid to Break Dallas City Government |url=https://www.texasobserver.org/dallas-hero-initiative-monty-bennett-crowds-on-demand/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250531033047/https://www.texasobserver.org/dallas-hero-initiative-monty-bennett-crowds-on-demand/ |archive-date=2025-05-31 |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=The Texas Observer |language=en-US}}</ref> Bennett admitted that his company Ashford had hired Crowds on Demand but otherwise denied the findings of the ''Texas Observer'' report, which quoted Emily Bell, the founding director of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia Journalism School, who said that the Dallas Express has violated basic journalistic ethics and is deceptive: “Effectively, the business model here is deception. It’s not just about them being partisan. It’s about them being dishonest and crossing basic lines of journalism. They’re not even doing journalism. They’re doing P.R., political advertising, or persuasion campaigns.” <ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last=Monacelli |first=Steven |date=2024-10-18 |title=The GOP Megadonor Behind the Bid to Break Dallas City Government |url=https://www.texasobserver.org/dallas-hero-initiative-monty-bennett-crowds-on-demand/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250531033047/https://www.texasobserver.org/dallas-hero-initiative-monty-bennett-crowds-on-demand/ |archive-date=2025-05-31 |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=The Texas Observer |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Political involvement ==
Bennett donated more than $1.1{{Nbsp}}million to Donald Trump's presidential campaigns and to the Republican National Committee between the 2016 election and May 2020.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":9">{{Cite news |last=Markay |first=Lachlan |date=2020-04-23 |title=Trump Donor Hired Trump-Tied Lobbyists, Then Raked in Coronavirus Relief Cash |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-top-covid-relief-recipient-hired-trump-tied-lobbyists-weeks-before-getting-aid |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250408212153/https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-top-covid-relief-recipient-hired-trump-tied-lobbyists-weeks-before-getting-aid/ |archive-date=2025-04-08 |access-date=2021-11-13 |work=The Daily Beast |language=en}}</ref> He has been a supporter of Texas Governor Greg Abbott,<ref name=":0" /> and has donated more than $2.5 million to state-level candidates and political action committees in Texas.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last=Monacelli |first=Steven |date=2024-10-18 |title=The GOP Megadonor Behind the Bid to Break Dallas City Government |url=https://www.texasobserver.org/dallas-hero-initiative-monty-bennett-crowds-on-demand/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250531033047/https://www.texasobserver.org/dallas-hero-initiative-monty-bennett-crowds-on-demand/ |archive-date=2025-05-31 |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=The Texas Observer |language=en-US}}</ref> He is active in the school privatization movement and in efforts to elect more conservatives to school boards.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Swartz |first=Mimi |date=2023-02-13 |title=The Campaign to Sabotage Texas’s Public Schools |url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/campaign-to-sabotage-texas-public-schools/ |access-date=2023-12-03 |website=Texas Monthly |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> He has been on the advisory boards of Texans for Education Reform and Texans for Education Rights.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> A 2023 article in ''The Real Deal'' about Bennett's increased activities in politics and media said that he has "engaged in many political battles, and won quite a few," particularly relating to local issues in Texas.<ref name=":0" /> He backed the proposed Dallas HERO ballot measures in 2024 to make major changes in Dallas city government.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Howerton |first=Matt |date=2024-09-26 |title=Dallas CEO, GOP donor throwing heavy support and cash behind HERO amendments on November ballot |url=https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-county/dallas-ceo-gop-donor-throwing-support-cash-behind-hero-amendments-on-november-ballot/287-f790fc95-cbe5-4977-ac79-f8855b6a8621 |access-date=2024-10-27 |website=WFAA |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Chhetri |first=Devyani |date=2024-10-20 |title=Coalition of elected officials goes door-knocking against Dallas HERO propositions S, T, U |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2024/10/20/coalition-of-elected-officials-go-door-knocking-against-dallas-hero-propositions-s-t-u/ |access-date=2024-10-27 |website=Dallas Morning News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Adatia |first=Noor |date=October 15, 2024 |title=Monty Bennett spars with influential business groups over police staffing, other issues on Dallas ballot |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2024/10/15/dallas-charter-amendments-monty-bennett-trec-ddi.html |access-date=2024-10-27 |website=Dallas Business Journal}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Terrell |first=Andrew |date=2024-11-06 |title=Monty Bennet goes 2-for-3 on “Hero” votes in Dallas |url=https://therealdeal.com/texas/dallas/2024/11/06/monty-bennet-aims-to-shape-dallas-governance-with-ballot-propositions/ |access-date=2024-11-08 |website=The Real Deal |language=en}}</ref> Of the three measures, two passed: the first removed sovereign immunity, making it easier to sue the city for not following laws,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Erickson |first1=Bethany |title=Don’t Call It a Downgrade (Yet): What to Make of Dallas’ Declining Debt Outlook |url=https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2024/11/dont-call-it-a-downgrade-yet-what-to-make-of-dallas-declining-debt-outlook/ |access-date=2 December 2024 |publisher=D Magazine |date=16 November 2024}}</ref> while the second would require the city to hire 900 additional police officers.<ref name="WFAA">{{cite news |last1=Howerton |first1=Matt |last2=Sullivan |first2=Cole |date=6 November 2024 |title=What happens now that Dallas HERO propositions S and U appear to have passed? |url=https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/dallas-hero-propositions-s-u-appear-to-have-passed/287-5ddb86ed-76cb-4454-8b16-d73f3bcb3086 |access-date=2 December 2024 |work=WFAA}}</ref>
== Personal life == Bennett is married and has four children—two from a previous marriage, and two stepchildren. He has lived in the Dallas metroplex for more than 30 years,<ref name=":2" /> though he has admitted that he does not live within Dallas city limits.<ref name=":8" /> He also owns a 1,500-acre ranch in Athens, Texas, a portion of which has been in his family for three generations.<ref name=":2"/> In 2014, he won an out-of-court settlement against the Tarrant Regional Water District to divert a pipeline from running across his property, having created a conservation district on his land and brought endangered animals to live on the land, amongst other exotic animals he already had.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite news|last=Hanna|first=Bill|date=May 25, 2017|title=Dallas settles legal fight with Monty Bennett over East Texas pipeline|work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|url=https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/fort-worth/article152686639.html|access-date=November 12, 2021}}</ref> He also established a cemetery in the pipeline's path to thwart it.<ref name=":0" />
==Notes== {{notelist}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *"[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2016-03-14/hotel-m-a-becomes-hot-property-for-chinese-investors Hotel M&A becomes hot property for Chinese investors]" – Bloomberg Markets video (2016)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bennett, Monty}} Category:1960s births Category:Living people Category:20th-century American businesspeople Category:21st-century American newspaper publishers (people) Category:American hoteliers Category:American businesspeople in the real estate industry Category:Businesspeople from Dallas Category:Businesspeople from Houston Category:Cornell University alumni