After 30 years of leading the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International, Americas division; HSMAI Foundation; and HSMAI Global, President and CEO Bob Gilbert is set to retire due to what the association is calling “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,” Andrew Rubinacci, HSMAI Americas chair and chief advisory officer at FLYR Hospitality, said in a statement. “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.”
“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,” Gilbert said. “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 [COVID-19] pandemic and emerged stronger than ever before.
“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.”
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 launch 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 certification, the Certified Hospitality Digital Marketer certification, the Certified Hotel Business Acumen certification and the newly launched Certified Hotel Sales Leader 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 research studies, conferences, certifications and strategic educational resources.
Gilbert focused the HSMAI Foundation’s mission on talent-attraction, growth and retention. Last year, Gilbert 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.