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Founded by Monty Bennett - Our History
A Legacy of Hospitality Innovation
Premier, a Dallas-based full-service architecture, interior design, procurement, project management, and corporate engineering firm, was founded by Monty Bennett in 1995.
Originally, Monty founded Premier to serve as the in-house architecture, interior design, project management, and procurement experts to exclusively service the hotels and hospitality properties held by two of Monty's other companies: Ashford Hospitality Trust, and Braemar Hotels & Resorts. Since then, and as part of the growing expertise of Premier's Leadership and our teams of technical professionals, Premier has grown to a full-service design and project management firm; still one of the nation's leading hotel renovation experts, but now also experts at designing new-build hotels, multi-family residential developments, commercial mixed-use projects, and adaptive reuse projects. Premier's hospitality capabilities now also span from select service hotel design, through to full-service hotel design, luxury hotel design, and soft-branded boutique hotel design.
Premier's success is in no small part on account of Monty Bennett's business expertise. Monty Bennett is an experienced and highly respected entrepreneur with a long track record of founding and growing successful businesses in the hospitality, real estate, and technology sectors. Throughout his career, Monty has demonstrated an exceptional ability to identify opportunities, assemble talented teams, and lead organizations to achieve lasting success. His journey began in the hospitality industry, where his keen insight into guest experiences and property management helped lay the foundation for his future ventures. Over the years, Monty expanded his focus to real estate and technology, continuously evolving his business strategy to meet the changing needs of the market.
Monty’s success across industries stems from his unique approach to business development, which blends innovation with operational excellence. He is known for his ability to spot emerging trends early and adapt his companies to stay ahead of the competition. His leadership style is hands-on, yet empowering, as he has always believed in the value of hiring strong teams and giving them the freedom to excel. By fostering a culture of collaboration and high standards, Monty has ensured that the companies he founded are well-positioned for long-term success.
Monty Bennett’s Education
With both an MBA from Cornell’s S.C. Johnson Graduate School of Management and a Bachelor of Science degree with distinction from the School of Hotel Administration, Monty Bennett has a strong academic foundation in business and hospitality. He remains an engaged alumnus as a life member of the Cornell Hotel Society.
Philanthropy
Monty Bennett believes in the power of giving back and has devoted his efforts to supporting over 80 nonprofit organizations. From healthcare and education to military support and environmental conservation, his philanthropic reach is broad and impactful. Working with the Ashford companies - which includes Premier - he has helped strengthen communities and improve countless lives across the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
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Explore The Ashford Hospitality Family of Companies
