Urges Stockholders to Send a Strong Message to Hold Ashford’s Board Accountable for Persistent Value Destruction and Governance Failures
Recommends Stockholders Vote AGAINST the Election of Chairman Monty Bennett and Other Members of the Board on the GOLD Proxy Card Today
Encourages Stockholders to Review Blackwells’ Presentation Regarding the Failures at Ashford at BlackwellsCap.com/public-markets
NEW YORK, May 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blackwells Capital LLC and Blackwells Onshore I LLC (together, “Blackwells”) collectively own 1,000 shares of Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. (“Ashford” or the “Company”) (NYSE: AHT) and have filed a definitive proxy statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) in connection with its campaign urging stockholders to vote “AGAINST” the election of Monty J. Bennett, Amish Gupta, J. Robison Hays, III, Kamal Jafarnia, David W. Johnson, Frederick J. Kleisner, Sheri L. Pantermuehl, Davinder “Sonny” Sra and Alan L. Tallis to the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) at the Company’s 2024 annual meeting of stockholders (the “2024 Annual Meeting”), which is scheduled to be held on May 14, 2024.
Stockholders are encouraged to review Blackwells’ presentation regarding the failures at Ashford released today at BlackwellsCap.com/public-markets.
Jason Aintabi, Chief Investment Officer of Blackwells Capital LLC, said:
“It is clear to us that Ashford stockholders have suffered from a disasterous stock price performance, abysmal corporate governance and what appears to be a self-dealing external advisory agreement that makes Montgomery Bennett rich at the expense of stockholders. The Board must be held to account for its failure to act as independent fiduciaries. In our opinion, the Board, at best, lacks the necessary skills and acumen and, at worst, could face personal liability for rubber-stamping Mr. Bennett’s unchecked parade on Ashford’s coffers. Stockholders have an opportunity to send a clear and resounding message to the Board by voting “AGAINST” the election of the incumbent directors at the 2024 Annual Meeting.”
Institutional Shareholder Services (“ISS”) recommended that Ashford stockholders vote “AGAINST” all incumbent director nominees at the 2024 Annual Meeting. ISS is a leading independent proxy advisory firm which, among other services, provides proxy voting recommendations to pension funds, investment managers, mutual funds and other institutional shareholders. Its voting analyses and recommendations are relied upon by thousands of major institutional investment firms, mutual funds and fiduciaries throughout the world.
About Blackwells Capital
Blackwells Capital was founded in 2016 by Jason Aintabi, its Chief Investment Officer. Since that time, it has made investments in public securities, engaging with management and boards, both publicly and privately, to help unlock value for stakeholders, including stockholders, employees and communities. Throughout their careers, Blackwells’ principals have invested globally on behalf of leading public and private equity firms and have held operating roles and served on the boards of media, energy, technology, insurance and real estate enterprises. For more information, please visit www.blackwellscap.com.
Contacts
Stockholders
MacKenzie Partners, Inc.
Toll Free: +1 (800) 322-2885
proxy@mackenziepartners.com
Media
Gagnier Communications
Dan Gagnier & Riyaz Lalani
646-569-5897
blackwells@gagnierfc.com
IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Blackwells Capital LLC, Blackwells Onshore I LLC, and Jason Aintabi (collectively, the “Participants”) are participants in the solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of the Company for the 2024 Annual Meeting. On May 2, 2024, the Participants filed with the SEC their definitive proxy statement and accompanying GOLD proxy card in connection with their solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of the Company.
ALL STOCKHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY ARE ADVISED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT, THE ACCOMPANYING GOLD PROXY CARD AND OTHER DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THE SOLICITATION OF PROXIES BY THE PARTICIPANTS, AS THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION, INCLUDING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RELATED TO THE PARTICIPANTS AND THEIR DIRECT OR INDIRECT INTERESTS IN THE COMPANY, BY SECURITY HOLDINGS OR OTHERWISE.
The definitive proxy statement and an accompanying GOLD proxy card will be furnished to some or all of the Company’s stockholders and are, along with other relevant documents, available at no charge on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov/. In addition, the Participants will provide copies of the definitive proxy statement without charge, upon request. Requests for copies should be directed to Blackwells.
