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The Robert A. “Bob” Gilbert Award for Career Achievement in Commercial Strategy
Honoring Excellence in Commercial Strategy
The Robert A. “Bob” Gilbert Award for Career Achievement in Commercial Strategy celebrates individuals whose careers have profoundly shaped the commercial disciplines within the hospitality industry. These leaders have demonstrated innovation, influence, and unwavering dedication to elevating the fields of sales, marketing, revenue optimization, distribution, and beyond.
Named in honor of HSMAI’s global President and CEO from 1995 – 2024, the Gilbert Award recognizes exceptional professionals who have made enduring contributions to commercial strategy in hospitality.
- Global Scope: Open to nominees worldwide.
- Multi-Disciplinary Recognition: Honorees may represent one or more commercial disciplines…and be hoteliers, industry partners, or educators.
- Multiple Honorees Possible: More than one award may be presented annually.
Nominations must address the following criteria.
- Career-Defining Contributions: Reflecting on the nominee’s entire career, what are the most defining contributions they have made to shaping commercial strategy within the hotel and travel industry? How have their unique qualifications and achievements—both within their organization and across the broader industry—created meaningful, lasting impact?
- Business and Professional Success: Highlight the nominee’s most notable accomplishments in one or more commercial disciplines (e.g., sales, marketing, revenue optimization, distribution). What are the enduring effects of these contributions, and how do they continue to influence the industry today?
- Industry Leadership and Advocacy: Describe the nominee’s role in developing, championing, or institutionalizing programs, initiatives, or concepts that have elevated the commercial professions within the hotel and travel sector. How have these efforts advanced the industry
- Innovation and Influence: In what ways has the nominee demonstrated innovation through original ideas, methodologies, services, or products? Detail how these innovations have had a broad and lasting impact on commercial strategy and the hotel and travel industry at large.
- Leadership and Mentorship: Provide examples of how the nominee has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, fostering team engagement and driving meaningful results. How has their leadership positively influenced individuals, teams, or organizations within the industry?
- Nominator’s Personal Statement: Why do you believe this nominee is especially deserving of this award? Summarize the qualities, achievements, and influence that distinguish them as a leader in the field. Why do you believe that this nominee is worthy of this career achievement award honor?
- Additional Supporting Information: Is there any other relevant information, testimonials, or context that would strengthen this nomination?
Honorees will be celebrated at the HSMAI Adrian Awards Celebration, and at HSMAI’s Commercial Strategy Conference around the globe. Honorees will also become members of HSMAI’s Hall of Fame, established in 1968.
Nominations for 2027 recognition are due by September 30, 2026.
Questions? Ask Juli Jones, Senior Vice President, HSMAI at juli.jones(at)hsmai.org.
2026 Gilbert Award Honorees
André Fournier grew up a travel-crazy kid, with parents who road-tripped and exposed him to art, food, and culture. So it was a no-brainer for him to seek his first job in the industry. As an Arizona State college student, Fournier hustled shifts at the local DoubleTree Inn, where he remembers trying to stay cool while serving their trademark fresh chocolate-chip cookies in 105-degree heat. Fournier connected with guests over his passion for the region, especially his love of the desert. And during those long, hot shifts, he realized that hospitality was his calling.
Fournier’s first major position in the industry was as the vice president for a destination management company at Scottsdale Plaza Resort. However, his big break was an opportunity to leave the desert and move to the mountains of Colorado to lead the marketing effort for the Vail Cascade Resort, which was managed by Destination Hotels & Resorts. He moved up in the ranks at Destination and returned to Arizona as the company’s regional director of sales and marketing overseeing Pointe South Mountain Resort, Royal Palms Resort and Spa, and Tempe Mission Palms Hotel and Conference Center. His career continued to rise as he returned to Colorado in 2011 as the vice president of sales, marketing and revenue for the company.
When Destination Hotels & Resorts became Two Roads Hospitality in 2016, Fournier led the company’s global sales, marketing and revenue efforts. At the time, Two Roads was the largest independent hotel management firm in the world. He parlayed this experience into launching CoralTree Hospitality in 2018 as the company’s executive vice president of sales, marketing and revenue.
Fournier considers receiving the Spirit of Lowe Award as one of the most meaningful achievements in his career. The award, which is given by CoralTree peers, recognizes employees with the leadership and core values exemplified by company founder Bob Lowe. “I love it,” Fournier says. “Bob Lowe learned long ago that having a higher purpose delivered successful projects and results.” Lowe embodied the company values of acting with integrity, empowering diverse and talented people, and balancing personal with professional life, among others.
As he works to foster a passion for travel among both colleagues and customers, Fournier still nurtures his love of travel in his own personal life. But one of his favorite trips wasn’t a mind-blowing global adventure: It was a trip back to family roots in small-town Maine, just shortly after his mother died. There, joined by a host of nieces, nephews and generations of aunts, uncles and cousins, the family fished for lobster and saw where his parents grew up, and released his mom’s ashes into the St. John’s River.
These days, Fournier savors adventure wherever he can find it, and is most at home exploring rivers with a glass of wine in hand and his dog, Phelps, by his side.
Jeff Doane is the Chief Commercial Officer of Omni Hotels & Resorts. With over 20 years of hospitality experience, Doane brings a wealth of expertise from his previous senior executive roles with Fairmont Raffles Hotels International and most recently as Chief Commercial Officer at Accor North America.
Doane reports directly to Omni Hotels & Resorts, President, Kurt Alexander and oversee the development and execution of Omni’s integrated commercial strategy across Omni’s current portfolio of hotels and resorts in the United States and Canada. He oversees all disciplines within marketing including brand and tactical marketing, public relations, partnerships, social media and digital platforms (omnihotels.com). He also is responsible for oversight of Omni’s global and hotel sales organizations, revenue management, the Select Guest Loyalty program as well as distribution and customer service.
In his senior leadership roles at Fairmont Raffles Hotels International and Accor, Doane consistently surpassed top-line revenue goals, elevated loyalty membership, and captured greater market share year after year.
Doane has actively contributed to the industry by serving on the HSMAI CMO and Foundation Boards as well as the US Travel CEO Board and the Plug & Play Hospitality Vertical Advisory Board. Doane holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara
Mary Casey is a globally respected hospitality and business‑events leader whose career has spanned more than 35 years across some of the world’s most influential travel, hotel, and event‑experience organizations. She recently retired following a distinguished tenure as Chief Client Officer at Maritz, where she led enterprise‑level sales, marketing, and client strategies across the corporate, association, trade show, and live‑events sectors.
Before joining Maritz, Mary spent nearly three decades with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, rising to Senior Vice President of Sales for North America, where she guided a team of more than 1,500 sales professionals supporting 400+ hotels and helped shape global sales strategy during a period of transformative growth.
Known for her commitment to talent development, Mary built high‑performance teams defined by collaboration, accountability, and a customer‑first mindset. She played a key leadership role in the successful transition of Starwood’s global sales organization into Marriott, supporting more than 5,000 associates worldwide.
Mary has long been an active and influential voice in the hospitality and meetings industry, contributing to Meetings Mean Business, Meeting Professionals International, the Global Business Travel Association, the Association of Corporate Travel Executives, and more.
A native of Scotland, Mary earned her Master of Arts with Honors from the University of Edinburgh. Her leadership legacy is marked by her ability to inspire teams, cultivate rising leaders, and consistently deliver exceptional results—leaving an enduring impact on the global hospitality sales community.
