Monty Bennett

hotelier, philanthropist & American urban revivalist

Monty Bennett is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Ashford Inc., the asset management firm behind one of the largest hospitality ecosystems in America. Over the course of his career, he has built a multibillion-dollar hospitality enterprise that owns, advises or manages more than 100 hotels across the US.

Beyond real estate, Monty chairs a vertically integrated network of operating companies that provide essential services to the industry. His expertise isn’t just in owning assets; it is in maximizing their operational value.

In 2020, Monty expanded his focus from corporate growth to civic survival. Refusing to watch his hometown of Dallas succumb to administrative decay, he launched a new mission: to prove that American cities are not dying, but simply mismanaged. Today, he applies the same operational discipline that built his companies to a singular civic goal: restoring accountability, safety, and prosperity to the urban core.

01/05

Excellent Public Safety

Uncompromising public safety that ensures residents are protected and emergency response is reliable.

Eradicating Homelessness

Accountable, structured solutions to homelessness that move people from the streets to stability while reclaiming public space.

World-Class City Services

Disciplined delivery of core city services, including infrastructure, sanitation, planning, parks, and libraries.

Exceptional Education

Access to excellent public schools that prepare students for work and long-term stability.

A Light, Pro-Growth Regulatory Environment

A light, predictable regulatory environment that allows enterprise, investment, and job creation to flourish.

Iconic Public Spaces & Cultural Institutions

Iconic public spaces and cultural institutions that foster civic pride, identity, and long-term attachment to place.

Restoring the American City

American cities are in visible decline. Rising crime, unmanaged homelessness, deteriorating public services, and failing schools have weakened public confidence and accelerated urban flight.

This outcome is not inevitable. It is the result of policy decisions that abandoned order, accountability, and standards of excellence.

If even one pillar falters, the entire structure weakens, lasting restoration is only possible when all six rise together.

02/05

About

Building a Legacy

Business Leader

Monty Bennett believes you cannot effectively lead what you do not understand. To master the hotel ecosystem, he spent his early years working through the ranks, from bellhop to management, gaining the ground-level insight required to scale a major enterprise.

In 1992, Monty applied that operational expertise to build the Ashford Group of Companies. Over the last three decades, he has grown the organization into a multibillion-dollar powerhouse. As Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Ashford Inc., he now advises two NYSE-listed REITs, Ashford Hospitality Trust (NYSE: AHT) and Braemar Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: BHR), managing a portfolio of premium hotels and providing essential services to the industry.

Today, Monty’s work is driven by the conviction that strong businesses fuel America’s prosperity. By creating stable careers and vibrant communities, he ensures that corporate success translates into real-world impact for thousands of families.

Publisher

Monty Bennett never sought to be a part of the media landscape, however that changed when the reality of unchecked government power hit home. It began when a regional water district attempted to seize his family’s ranch, land his grandfather purchased in 1963, through eminent domain. Then came 2020, when COVID lockdowns shuttered hotels and devastated working families, while established media failed to question the policies destroying downtowns.

From these experiences, Monty realized there was a critical void in honest reporting, so he pivoted from observer to publisher. In 2021, he and his wife, Sarah, founded The Dallas Express to cut through the noise of information overload with a simple mandate: impartial, factual journalism. They built the publication to value open debate and civic accountability over ideology.

The paper’s rise has been meteoric. In just a few years, it has grown to serve over 500,000 subscribers and earned White House press credentials. Today, The Dallas Express stands as a vital resource for engaged citizens and is proud to be the only locally owned and operated newspaper in the Dallas area.

Philanthropist

Through their time and personal giving, Monty and Sarah Bennett have supported more than 100 organizations—driven by their faith, their love for their community, and a belief that those who have been given much are called to give back. Key initiatives include:

Dallas HERO – Drives reform to strengthen safety and accountability in city government. Passed two charter amendments that stripped Dallas of sovereign immunity and mandated 4,000 police officers. The political establishment opposed it. Voters passed it anyway
Dallas Education Collective – Building high-performing charter schools in underserved neighborhoods while connecting resources and consulting with partners to ensure every dollar and effort actually reaches the classroom
Refuge For Renewal – A comprehensive campus modeled on San Antonio’s Haven for Hope, replacing fragmented programs with a unified system that restores people to stability and streets to order
Texans for Education Excellence – Ensuring every Texas child receives a rigorous education in the fundamentals, and that parents, not bureaucrats, remain in control of how it’s delivered
S.M. Wright Foundation – Serving 100,000 people annually in South Dallas on less than $1 million—one of the most efficient charities in Texas
Christian Union – Develops dynamic Christian leaders at a handful of the nation’s most secular, influential, and academically rigorous universities

Family Man

Monty and his wife, Sarah, are deeply blessed with four children, Louis, Liliana, Jack, and Lucas (Luke). The family shares a steadfast commitment to family, faith, and community service. Together, they devote significant time to their philanthropy while intentionally prioritizing the raising of their children with strong Christian faith and values. These values are instilled throughout the day but are reinforced around the dinner table. In fact, Monty treats family dinner as a sacrament, upheld by a standing rule: it is the only meeting that will not be rescheduled.

When they aren’t in Dallas, the family retreats to their ranch in Athens, Texas. It serves as their sanctuary, a place to unplug, host friends, and find grounding in God’s nature. For Monty, this time with God, Sarah, and the children isn’t just downtime; it is his most meaningful investment, shaping the purpose and direction of everything else he does.