David Gilbert serves as president and CEO of Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, an organization dedicated to making Greater Cleveland the nation’s foremost destination for amateur sporting events and activities, and Destination Cleveland, the region’s destination marketing and management organization. He re-established the Sports Commission in 2000 and assumed his role with Destination Cleveland in 2011. From 2015 through 2017, David also served as the president and CEO of the Cleveland 2016 Host Committee for the Republican National Convention.

Greater Cleveland Sports Commission attracts, creates, manages and enhances significant sporting and competitive events. Since 2000, the organization has attracted over 260 events including the NFL Draft, MLB All-Star Game, NBA All-Star Weekend and NCAA Women’s Final Four. These events have contributed more than $1 billion in local economic impact.

David leads the Destination Cleveland team to carry out the organization’s mission of stimulating economic growth by attracting people and connecting them to experiences that illustrate Cleveland’s diversity, creativity, and contagious passion. Under his leadership, efforts to promote Cleveland as an exciting, vibrant destination have contributed to 20% visitation growth and a 40% increase in visitor-generated direct sales since 2011. Additionally, Cuyahoga County’s annual visitation growth rate has consistently outpaced the domestic visitation growth rate during his tenure, including over nine consecutive years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

David also dedicates his time to several organizations. He serves as Chair of the North Coast Waterfront Development Corporation Board and as a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland, and many other local, national and international organization Boards of Directors.

His honors and awards include recognition as one of Cleveland’s “30 influencers of the past 30 years” by Crain’s Cleveland Business, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and the SME Cleveland Business Executive of the Year. David earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from The Ohio State University and an MBA from Cleveland State University. He holds an honorary doctorate from Baldwin-Wallace University.