President and CEO of HSMAI, Bob Gilbert Proclaims Retirement

McLean, VA – Following 30 years of govt management for the Hospitality Gross sales and Advertising and marketing Affiliation Worldwide (HSMAI) Americas, HSMAI Basis and HSMAI International, the group is saying the retirement of President and CEO, Bob Gilbert. A cherished and admired chief within the international hospitality {industry}, Gilbert has accelerated his retirement plan on account of a critical well being concern.

It’s with the utmost respect that we announce right now the retirement of Bob Gilbert from his position of President and CEO of HSMAI, mentioned Andrew Rubinacci, CHSP, HSMAI Americas chair and chief advisory officer at FLYR Hospitality. Bob has been a mentor and good friend to so many people within the {industry} and has taken the affiliation to new heights over the course of his unimaginable 30-year tenure, increasing HSMAI throughout the globe. The affiliation will profit from his management for a few years to come back.

Gilbert mirrored, I wish to categorical my appreciation for my years on the affiliation, the deep partnerships constructed with so lots of you, and the belief you positioned in me to assist information the group to actually influence gross sales, advertising and marketing, and income optimization within the hospitality {industry}. The hospitality area has all the time confirmed its vitality and resilience, evolving with the world’s adjustments regardless of how shortly these adjustments have occurred. We’ve tailored by occasions like 9/11 and the pandemic and emerged stronger than ever earlier than. He added, Within the final yr alone, we unveiled HSMAI’s first ever Industrial Technique Convention, continued the coalition constructing with different {industry} organizations like AHLA, HFTP, HEDNA, and extra, and launched HSMAI’s Century Marketing campaign to have fun HSMAI’s 100-year anniversary in 2027 and guarantee it’s right here for members and the {industry} for 100 extra. I owe a debt of gratitude to the entire {industry} leaders who’ve served as volunteer leaders for the group, and a employees of devoted professionals who’ve applied their imaginative and prescient.

A trailblazer within the hospitality {industry} for his development of the affiliation, Gilbert introduced HSMAI’s areas throughout the globe beneath the umbrella of HSMAI International in 2002 and launched organizational membership in 2018. Throughout his time as president and CEO, HSMAI launched many new chapters within the Americas, together with Brazil and Puerto Rico, and formalized Europe as an HSMAI Area, along with the formation of world areas, together with Asia Pacific (2003), the Center East (2008), and growth of Latin America (2023).

Gilbert spearheaded the creation and exponential development of HSMAI’s Technique Conferences, implementing particular curiosity teams that developed areas for these in gross sales, advertising and marketing, and income administration to be taught, community, and advance of their careers. Following the success of the digital advertising and marketing and resort advertising and marketing technique conferences Gilbert led the introduction of income administration as a self-discipline in 2003 with the launch of the HSMAI Income Administration Technique Convention, which in the end advanced into uniting the gross sales, advertising and marketing, and income disciplines into what’s now often called “industrial” in 2024. Throughout Gilbert’s tenure, HSMAI additionally launched the Licensed Income Administration Government (CRME) certification, the Licensed Hospitality Digital Marketer (CHDM) certification, the Licensed Lodge Enterprise Acumen (CHBA) certification, and the newly launched Licensed Lodge Gross sales Chief (CHSL) certification. Many industrial strategists who started their careers studying from HSMAI’s conferences and academic assets now function mentors for the brand new technology of hospitality professionals.

Throughout his management, Gilbert carried HSMAI by historic occasions that considerably impacted the hospitality {industry}, together with the terrorist assaults on 9/11, the 2008 recession, and the Covid-19 pandemic. HSMAI served as a unifier instantly following 9/11 with the primary {industry} convention held in New York to carry leaders collectively to start charting a course ahead. He ensured that the affiliation answered the {industry}’s want for steering by groundbreaking analysis research, expert-led conferences, industry-leading certifications, and strategic academic assets. In every occasion, he streamlined the affiliation in order that HSMAI emerged stronger than earlier than.

Gilbert targeted the HSMAI Basis’s mission on expertise attraction, development, and retention. Final yr, Gilbert proudly launched the HSMAI Basis’s Century Marketing campaign to generate consciousness across the group’s origins, spotlight its optimistic influence on the hospitality {industry}, and showcase HSMAI’s plans for the longer term. Donations to the Century Marketing campaign shall be used to develop and assist the {industry}’s subsequent technology, proceed to reinforce membership advantages, and create extra alternative for tomorrow’s innovators.

HSMAI’s Management Transition

Whereas Gilbert is on medical depart, HSMAI Senior Vice President, Juli Jones, CAE, will function interim managing director for HSMAI because the affiliation commences the search course of, led by SearchWide International and supported by HSMAI’s affiliation administration firm MCI, to nominate the subsequent president and CEO. MCI Affiliate Vice President and HSMAI Content material Director, Kristin Miodonski, will function interim managing director for the HSMAI Basis.

About HSMAI

HSMAI is a world group of gross sales, advertising and marketing, and income optimization professionals representing all segments of the hospitality {industry}. With a powerful give attention to training, HSMAI leads the best way in figuring out and speaking tendencies within the hospitality {industry}. Working as a number one voice for each hospitality and for the gross sales, advertising and marketing, and income optimization disciplines, HSMAI connects its members with clients. Based in the USA in 1927, HSMAI is a membership group comprising 5,000 members from 35 international locations and chapters worldwide. HSMAI operates across the globe by way of regional boards of administrators and employees. There are 4 areas: the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Center East, with a Latin America area beneath growth. Every area has geographic chapters and signature applications and providers for affiliation members. HSMAI has a International board which is made up of delegates from every area.