Dexter Wood

Dexter Wood is justifiably proud of having been part of a small team that put together the largest single-asset deal in the history of hotel real estate. As a senior vice president for Hilton Worldwide, he was instrumental in the sale of the iconic Waldorf Astoria for $1.95 billion, a record not soon to be broken. What’s more, the team reinvested $1.8 billion of the proceeds in five hotels to facilitate a like-kind exchange transaction, thus avoiding capital gains taxes — and they did so in less than a month. That says something about The Plasencia Group’s newest senior managing director’s ability to navigate huge deals, as well as handle pressurized deadline situations. Dexter, who joined The Plasencia Group in December 2019, does not come from a brokerage background. Rather he brings to the team a wealth and breadth of experience that includes hotel ownership, management, brand development, finance, strategy, consulting and more. Dexter is based in Boston, bolstering the Plasencia Group’s Northeastern, as well as national, reach. His most recent post was as senior vice president and global head of development and real estate finance for Hilton Worldwide, where he was in charge of governing the allocation of capital to drive new unit growth and led an international team of more than 50 top professionals. In 2017, he transitioned to Park Hotels & Resorts when Hilton spun the company off. Dexter spent most of the 2000s as senior vice president of global feasibility & portfolio analysis at Host Hotels, the world’s largest hotel real estate investment trust. Prior to that, he was director of financial advisory services/hospitality and real estate for PriceWaterhouseCoopers in New York. He began his career with Hospitality Valuation Services (HVS). Dexter grew up in a small town in western Massachusetts and attended boarding school in New England. From there, he matriculated at Cornell University, where he started off studying chemical engineering. Finding that avenue unsuitable, Dexter, who bartended during summers and in his spare time, made the cut at Cornell’s prestigious School of Hotel Administration, earning a bachelor’s degree. He has remained active with the school ever since, and just completed his term as president of its global alumni association. Dexter — who has three children, all in college — splits time between homes in Boston and Palm Beach, Florida. His Beantown condo is within walking distance of Fenway Park, where he takes in a Red Sox game any time he can. He’s been a New England Patriots season ticket holder for 25 years. Dexter is an avid golfer, as well as a foodie and wine enthusiast — both in the kitchen and as a restaurant guest.