Kristian "Krissy" Gathright, currently serves as the Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer for Apple REIT Seven, Inc. In addition to her role at Apple REIT Seven, she currently serves as Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer for Apple REIT Six, Inc., Apple REIT Eight, Inc. and Apple REIT Nine, Inc. Ms. Gathright also served as Chief Operating Officer of Apple Hospitality Two, Inc. from 1999 until May of 2007 when the company was sold to an affiliate of ING Clarion. She also served as Sr. Vice President of Operations for Apple Hospitality Five, Inc. from its inception in 2002 until it was sold to Inland American Real Estate Trust in 2007. Mrs. Gathright has been in the real estate investment industry since 1996. Prior to managing the Apple companies, she served as Assistant Vice President and Investor Relations Manager for Cornerstone Realty Income Trust, a REIT focusing on the ownership and management of apartment homes in Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia and Texas. From 1996 to 1998, she was an Asset Manager and Regional Controller of the Northern Region Operations for United Dominion Realty Trust, Inc., a Real Estate Investment Trust headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. And, prior to that time she was an auditor with Ernst & Young.

At Apple REIT Seven, Mrs. Gathright is responsible for overseeing the asset management team, representing the interests of the owner in order to increase shareholder value. Mrs. Gathright and her team review operating performance and market positioning of Apple REIT Eight’s 30 hotels and work with hotel management to respond where areas of opportunity exist. The asset management group is the primary liaison to third party property management and brand representatives. Mrs. Gathright’s group is responsible for evaluating the impact of and implementing brand initiatives with the goal of finding the most cost effective solution while still maintaining the highest guest satisfaction.

Mrs. Gathright holds a Bachelor of Science degree, Graduate with Distinction, in Accounting from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia and is a Certified Public Accountant. Mrs. Gathright and her husband reside in Richmond, Virginia with their two sons.