Eric Batis, Chief Operating Officer

Mr. Batis serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Ashford Inc. In this role, Mr. Batis oversees the company’s day-to-day operational execution across the organization. He is responsible for driving operational performance, refining acquisition strategies, and strengthening oversight to support sustained growth across the Ashford Group of Companies.

Prior to this position, Mr. Batis served as Executive Vice President of Operations for Ashford since October 2022. In that capacity, he oversaw operations for both Ashford’s asset management advisory business and its hospitality products and services business. Previously, as Senior Vice President of Portfolio Management, he led the acquisition and investment process for several key assets and businesses, including OpenKey, J&S Audio Visual (now INSPIRE), Lismore Capital, Kalibri Labs, PURE Rooms, and RED Hospitality and Leisure. Mr. Batis also held roles in Ashford’s Asset Management department, managing portfolios of hotels for Ashford, Ashford Hospitality Trust (AHT), and Braemar Hotels & Resorts (BHR), and earlier led its Capital Management group, directing renovation and repositioning initiatives for hotels.

Before joining Ashford Inc. in 2013, Mr. Batis was a Vice President at investment bank Houlihan Lokey, where he led real estate valuation efforts, and assisted clients with mergers and acquisitions and finances. Prior to Houlihan Lokey, he worked for Integra Realty Resources in Chicago, valuing commercial properties across the Midwest.

Mr. Batis holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Northwestern University.