Independent Director, Apple Hospitality Reit
Search every verified Kristian Gathright interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Kristian "Krissy" Gathright, an independent director at Apple Hospitality REIT, has discussed her career trajectory and views on leadership in interviews. She described starting her career as an auditor at EY before moving into real estate and eventually becoming the first employee of what became Apple Suites, which later evolved into a publicly traded hospitality REIT. Gathright has emphasized the importance of passion, mentorship, and taking ownership of one's career path, stating that "mentors and champions are of critical importance" and that individuals should "take your path into your own hands." She has also spoken about risk management, noting that "being able to assess risk and think big picture" is important, and that diversification across brands and operators reduces risk. In earlier appearances, Gathright discussed Apple Hospitality REIT's operations and strategy. In a 2017 CNBC interview, then-CEO Justin Knight described the company as "broadly diversified" with low leverage and a focus on Hilton and Marriott brands. Gathright has also commented on specific projects, including a combined Residence Inn/Courtyard development in downtown Richmond and a partnership with Marriott, WorkSpring, and Steelcase to create flexible meeting spaces. She has addressed the impact of the 2008 recession on the Richmond Marriott and the company's efforts to stimulate local economic activity through conventions and events like the 2015 world championship bicycle road race.
“Originally I didn't start out wanting to be in hospitality ... I majored in accounting and soon after college I went to work for EY as an auditor and my clients just happened to be real estate and insurance clients. I really gravitated towards real estate and one of the clients offered me a job and I went to work with...”
“I took the risk and decided to go ahead and sign up and became the first employee of what back then was known as Apple Suites and eight different hospitality REITs later that we ended up creating ... one that we ended up listing on the New York Stock Exchange, which is the largest select-service and extended-stay hospi...”
“Being able to assess risk and think big picture and always be looking around the corner is one of the things I've always felt was important. The first thing I try to do is educate myself on what does success mean, what does the company need to do to be successful and long‑term sustainable, and keep an eye on potential...”
“If you take on more leverage that's inevitably more risky; if you invest your funds in a more narrow pool of assets versus a broader, more diversified pool of assets that's more risky; if you rely on just one operator or one brand that's more risky than spreading relationships among strong high‑quality operators and br...”
Krissy shares her journey into hospitality, culminating in the c-suite as well as public company board seats. She talks about how to ...
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Krissy Gathright tells Renee Fisher why managing successful hotels in the current economic climate is SUPER EASY. April Fools!
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