USA, Tampa, Florida. January 09, 2020

The Plasencia Group is pleased to appoint Dexter Wood to the role of Senior Managing Director in the firm's New England region. In his new position, Wood will lead investment advisory efforts for the firm's clients, including lodging transactions, developments and strategic consulting, drawing on his nearly two decades of experience at some of the largest hotel and investment companies and brands in the world. Wood will be based in Boston.

Prior to joining The Plasencia Group, Wood served as Senior Vice President and Global Head of Development & Real Estate Finance at Hilton Worldwide. Wood held this role for almost 10 years, where he managed the company's investment committee process and directed the execution of Hilton's global development strategy. He also led a team of more than 50 professionals across the U.S., and in international markets such as London, Dubai, and Singapore. Toward the end of his tenure at Hilton, Wood transitioned to a leadership role with Park Hotels & Resorts in 2017 as the organization was spun off of its parent company.

While at Hilton, Wood was instrumental in completing Hilton's record-breaking $1.95-billion sale of the historic Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City and subsequent acquisition of five hotels totaling $1.8-billion in value in a 1031 exchange. Wood also conceived a corporate development strategy that led Hilton to open nearly 52,000 new rooms and secure almost 800 new project approvals in 2016. Before joining Hilton, Wood served as Senior Vice President of Global Feasibility & Portfolio Analysis at Host Hotels & Resorts, coming from PwC where he worked as Director of Financial Advisory Services, Hospitality & Real Estate.

"Dexter is an accomplished industry veteran who has had an indisputable impact on the hospitality industry. We are honored to have an individual of his stature and reputation join our team," said Lou Plasencia. "His personal relationships with key industry decision-makers, coupled with his investment experience in major hotel transactions, will be a crucial asset to the firm and, more importantly, to our clients."

"It is a transformative and exciting time for the hotel industry, and I look forward to adding to a dynamic and accomplished team in a collaborative environment here at The Plasencia Group. I am excited to apply my broad skill set in helping our clients achieve their lodging investment goals in the years to come," Wood said.