As President and CEO of the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International, Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, has been guiding HSMAI through a dynamic and exciting period of change as the 5,000+ member organization has been re-established globally to grow the revenue for hotels through sales, marketing, and revenue optimization. During Gilbert’s tenure, HSMAI has achieved tremendous success with a number of initiatives including: the development of expert communities in the areas of Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Optimization, signature events in each discipline, a portfolio of c-level executive roundtables, the development of the HSMAI Global Academy’s suite of certification and online training programs, and the global expansion of HSMAI thru the formation of HSMAI Global and regional development in Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East. Most recently, the growth of members from the corporate offices of hotel brands, management companies and ownership groups has driven the addition of organizational membership which are now available in addition to individual memberships.

Gilbert holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University and has been a member of HSMAI since joining the student chapter at Cornell. He is a frequent guest lecturer at Cornell. Gilbert is a past chair of the Events Industry Council (formerly CIC), and has served on the Board of Directors of the American Hotel & Lodging Association and the Travel and Tourism Coalition of the U.S. Travel Association. He also serves on several advisory boards of hospitality and hotel management schools.