Ashford Hospitality Trust president/CEO stepping down

Douglas Kessler is voluntarily resigning as president/CEO of Ashford Hospitality Trust to pursue other professional opportunities. The company’s board of directors has appointed J. Robison Hays III to replace him.

Hays has been serving as the company’s chief strategy officer, a position he has held since May 2015. Kessler will remain with the firm until May 14 to assist with the transition and be available to the company for a year on a consulting basis.

Kessler is also resigning as senior managing director of Ashford Inc.

Hays will resign as co-president/chief strategy officer of Ashford Inc. and assume the role of senior managing director. He will also resign as chief strategy officer of Braemar Hotels & Resorts Inc. and will no longer be an officer of Braemar. He will also no longer serve as chief strategy officer at Ashford Trust.

Prior to serving as chief strategy officer, he was SVP-corporate finance and strategy since 2010. Before joining t