Following 30 years of executive leadership for the  Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Americas, HSMAI Foundation and HSMAI Global, the organization is announcing the retirement of President and CEO, Bob Gilbert. A cherished and admired leader in the global hospitality industry, Gilbert has accelerated his retirement plan as a result of a serious health issue.

“It is with the utmost respect that we announce today the retirement of Bob Gilbert from his role of President and CEO of HSMAI,” said Andrew Rubinacci, CHSP, HSMAI Americas chair and chief advisory officer at FLYR Hospitality. “Bob has been a mentor and friend to so many of us in the industry and has taken the association to new heights over the course of his incredible 30-year tenure, expanding HSMAI across the globe. The association will benefit from his leadership for many years to come.”  

Gilbert reflected, “I want to express my appreciation for my years at the association, the deep partnerships built with so many of you, and the trust you placed in me to help guide the organization to truly impact sales, marketing, and revenue optimization in the hospitality industry. The hospitality field has always proven its vitality and resilience, evolving with the world’s changes no matter how quickly those changes have happened. We’ve adapted through events like 9/11 and the pandemic and emerged stronger than ever before.” He added, “In the last year alone, we unveiled HSMAI’s first ever Commercial Strategy Conference, continued the coalition building with other industry organizations like AHLA, HFTP, HEDNA, and more, and launched HSMAI’s Century Campaign to celebrate HSMAI’s 100-year anniversary in 2027 and ensure it is here for members and the industry for 100 more. I owe a debt of gratitude to all of the industry leaders who have served as volunteer leaders for the organization, and a staff of dedicated professionals who have implemented their vision.”

A trailblazer in the hospitality industry for his advancement of the association, Gilbert brought HSMAI’s regions across the globe under the umbrella of HSMAI Global in 2002 and introduced organizational membership in 2018. During his time as president and CEO, HSMAI launched many new chapters in the Americas, including Brazil and Puerto Rico, and formalized Europe as an HSMAI Region, in addition to the formation of global regions, including Asia Pacific (2003), the Middle East (2008), and  development of Latin America (2023).

Gilbert spearheaded the creation and exponential growth of HSMAI’s Strategy Conferences, implementing special interest groups that developed spaces for those in sales, marketing, and revenue management to learn, network, and advance in their careers. Following the success of the digital marketing and resort marketing strategy conferences Gilbert led the introduction of revenue management as a discipline in 2003 with the launch of the HSMAI Revenue Management Strategy Conference, which ultimately evolved into uniting the sales, marketing, and revenue disciplines into what is now known as “commercial” in 2024. During Gilbert’s tenure, HSMAI also introduced the Certified Revenue Management Executive (CRME) certification, the Certified Hospitality Digital Marketer (CHDM) certification, the Certified Hotel Business Acumen (CHBA) certification, and the newly launched Certified Hotel Sales Leader (CHSL) certification. Many commercial strategists who began their careers learning from HSMAI’s conferences and educational resources now serve as mentors for the new generation of hospitality professionals.

During his leadership, Gilbert carried HSMAI through historic events that significantly impacted the hospitality industry, including the terrorist attacks on 9/11, the 2008 recession, and the Covid-19 pandemic. HSMAI served as a unifier immediately following 9/11 with the first industry conference held in New York to bring leaders together to begin charting a course forward. He ensured that the association answered the industry’s need for guidance through groundbreaking research studies, expert-led conferences, industry-leading certifications, and strategic educational resources. In each instance, he streamlined the association so that HSMAI emerged stronger than before.

Gilbert focused the HSMAI Foundation’s mission on talent attraction, growth, and retention. Last year, Gilbert proudly launched the HSMAI Foundation’s Century Campaign to generate awareness around the organization’s origins, highlight its positive impact on the hospitality industry, and showcase HSMAI’s plans for the future. Donations to the Century Campaign will be used to grow and support the industry’s next generation, continue to enhance membership benefits, and create more opportunity for tomorrow's innovators.