Robert H. Gleason

Robert H. Gleason was appointed President and CEO of Evans Hotels in 2014, becoming the first executive outside of the Evans family to run the day-to-day operations of the company. Mr. Gleason oversees and directs all aspects of business strategy and performance growth for Evans Hotels and its three iconic San Diego properties: The Lodge at Torrey Pines in La Jolla as well as the Bahia Resort Hotel and Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa on Mission Bay. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Gleason spent the previous 15 years as the Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel of Evans Hotels. Having dedicated more than half of his life to the company, he first joined Evans Hotels as a reservations agent at the age of 17 and gradually worked his way up to CFO prior to earning his law degree.

Outside of his work, Mr. Gleason has also been active in organizations focused on arts and culture, civil rights, education, inclusive economic development, international trade, and electoral politics. He currently serves on the Executive Committee of the California Travel and Tourism Commission, which does business as Visit California, developing and maintaining marketing programs that keep California top-of-mind as a premier travel destination. In addition, he is Chair of the San Diego County Lodging Association, Director of the San Diego Tourism Marketing District, and Chair of the Arts Advisory Committee for San Diego International Airport. He serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council for the Rady School of Management at UC San Diego, the University of San Diego School of Law Board of Visitors, the Promises2Kids CEO Advisory Council, and American Cancer Society’s CEOs Against Cancer San Diego Chapter as well as the Advisory Board for the L. Robert Payne School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at San Diego State University, where he taught hospitality law and policy for many years.

Mr. Gleason has held numerous prior public appointments, including with the Los Angeles Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (Chair), San Diego County Regional Airport Authority (Chair), California Film Commission, World Trade Center San Diego (Chair), San Diego Commission for Arts & Culture (Chair), City of San Diego Funds Commission (Vice Chair), and San Diego Convention Center Corporation. Other prior Board service includes Francis Parker School (Chair), Princeton University Committee to Nominate Alumni Trustees (Chair) and Alumni Council (Executive Committee), Old Globe Theatre (Vice Chair), U.S. Bank San Diego County Advisory Board, World Design Capital San Diego-Tijuana 2024 Advisory Council, and California State University Hospitality & Tourism Alliance Council.

In LGBTQ+ community work, Mr. Gleason is founder and supervising attorney of USD School of Law’s transgender and nonbinary name and gender-marker change legal clinic and Chair of the Patient and Family Advisory Council for Rady Children’s Hospital’s Center for Gender-Affirming Care. Previously, he served as Chair of the San Diego LGBT Community Center, Vice Chair of the LGBTQ Victory Fund, co-founder and Chair of the San Diego LGBT Community Leadership Council, founding Co-Chair of the Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast, and Co-Chair of Princeton University’s Every Voice conference for LGBTQ+ alumni.

His volunteer work has been recognized with awards from Princeton University, San Diego County Bar Association, Tom Homann LGBT Law Association, San Diego Democrats for Equality, California Legislative LGBT Caucus, Equality California, Harvey Milk Foundation, San Diego Pride, and The Bishop’s School, among others. He has been included on the San Diego 500 List and named an LGBTQ+ Leader of Influence by San Diego Business Journal for many years.

Mr. Gleason graduated from The Bishop’s Schools as well as an A.B. in Economics from Princeton University as well as a J.D. summa cum laude from the University of San Diego School of Law. He is a licensed attorney and real estate broker in California as well as a Certified Hospitality Accountant Executive.