ASHFORD HOSPITALITY TRUST, INC. (NYSE:AHT) Files An 8-K Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers

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ASHFORD HOSPITALITY TRUST, INC. (NYSE:AHT) Files An 8-K Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers

ITEM 5.02 DEPARTURE OF DIRECTORS OR CERTAIN OFFICERS; ELECTION OF
DIRECTORS; APPOINTMENT OF CERTAIN OFFICERS; COMPENSATORY
ARRANGEMENTS OF CERTAIN OFFICERS.

(e) Entry into Material Contract with Named Executive Officer and
Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers
Equity Awards. The Board of Directors (the Board) of Ashford
Hospitality Trust, Inc. (the Company) approved the
recommendations of the Compensation Committee of the Board with
respect to the grant of time-based equity awards and
performance-based equity awards to the following executive
officers to the Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. 2011 Stock
Incentive Plan (the 2011 Stock Incentive Plan), subject to
stockholder approval of an amendment to the 2011 Stock Incentive
Plan, with a grant date of March 24, 2017, as set forth below:
Executive Officer
Time-based Shares/LTIPs Awarded (#)
Target Performance-based Shares/LTIPs Awarded (#)
Monty J. Bennett, Chairman (1)
311, 000
311, 000
Douglas A. Kessler, Chief Executive Officer (2)
173,000
173,000
David A. Brooks, Chief Operating Officer
138,000
138,000
Deric S. Eubanks, Chief Financial Officer
104,000
104,000
Jeremy Welter, Executive Vice President, Asset
Management (3)
121,000
121,000
J. Robison Hays, Chief Strategy Officer (3)
121,000
121,000
_________________________
(1) Elected to receive 311,000 special long-term incentive
partnership units (LTIP Units) in Ashford Hospitality Limited
Partnership, the Companys operating subsidiary (Subsidiary) for a
portion of the time-based awards granted and 622,000 LTIP Units
for a portion of the performance-based awards granted
(representing the maximum number that may be earned, and subject
to forfeiture if the vesting criteria is not met). Vested LTIP
Units, upon achieving economic parity with the Common Limited
Partnership Units of the Subsidiary (Common Units), are
convertible into Common Units at the option of the Executive
Officer. Monty J. Bennett served as the Chief Executive Officer
of the Company for all of the fiscal year ended December 31,
2016. He ceased to serve in such position on February 20, 2017
and remains Chairman of the Board.
(2) Douglas A. Kessler served as the President of the Company for
all of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 and was appointed
as Chief Executive Officer of the Company on February 20, 2017.
(3) Elected to receive 121,000 LTIP Units for a portion of the
time-based awards granted and 242,000 LTIP Units for a portion of
the performance-based awards granted (representing the maximum
number that may be earned, and subject to forfeiture if the
vesting criteria is not met).
These equity awards are granted in two equal components:
Time-Based Awards (50%) – Half of the shares/units are
awarded in the form of time-based shares/units. These
shares/units vest in three equal annual installments
following the date of grant, and dividends are paid on
unvested shares/units, based upon the companys having met
certain business objectives.
Performance-Based Awards (50%) – Half of the shares/units
are awarded in the form of performance-based shares/units.
These shares/units vest at the end of three years based on
the Companys shareholder returns: 50% Absolute Total
Shareholder Return and 50% Relative Total Shareholder
Return. The award level for achieving target performance is
50% of the target award. The award levels for achieving
threshold and maximum performance are 50% and 200% of the
target award, respectively. Award levels between the
threshold and target performance and between the threshold
and maximum performance are interpolated. Dividends are
accrued and paid on the actual number of shares/units
vesting in the form of additional shares/units.
The time-based and the performance-based awards will be issued to
award agreements entered into by the Company and the executive
officer that are substantially consistent with previously filed
award agreements.>


About ASHFORD HOSPITALITY TRUST, INC. (NYSE:AHT)

Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. (Ashford), together with its subsidiaries, is an externally advised real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company operates through direct hotel investments segment. It is focused on investing in the hospitality industry with a focus on full-service upscale and upper-upscale hotels in the United States. The Company owns its lodging investments and conducts its business through Ashford Hospitality Limited Partnership, its operating partnership. Its hotels are operated under the brands of Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, Starwood and Intercontinental Hotels Group. The Company’s hotels portfolio is asset-managed by Ashford LLC. The Company is focused on direct hotel investments and it may invest in a range of lodging-related assets. Its investments may include direct hotel investments; mezzanine financing through origination or acquisition; first-lien mortgage financing through origination or acquisition, and sale-leaseback transactions.

ASHFORD HOSPITALITY TRUST, INC. (NYSE:AHT) Recent Trading Information

ASHFORD HOSPITALITY TRUST, INC. (NYSE:AHT) closed its last trading session up +0.47 at 6.32 with 1,243,627 shares trading hands.