Robert Rauch - Emeritus Director 2018-2024

Robert Rauch, CHA, is a nationally recognized hotelier and CEO of RAR Hospitality, a leading hospitality management and consulting firm. Rauch has 40 years of hospitality management experience in all facets of the industry. Widely recognized as the 'Hotel Guru', Rauch writes a blog called Hospitality Innsights where he expounds upon trends in the hospitality industry at HotelGuru.com.

Rauch has held nearly every position in the hotel business including General Manager of full-service Four-Diamond hotels for Hilton and Embassy Suites. His education includes a bachelor’s degree in Hotel Administration from Western International University and a master’s degree in Tourism Administration from Arizona State University, "where he teaches Entrepreneurship". He is a Certified Hotel Administrator and has served as chairman of numerous tourism organizations nationally and in the Western U.S. 

RAR Hospitality sold its management company to Hostmark Hospitality in February of 2020. RAR owns and operates several hotels in San Diego County and is developing more.

As a consistent supporter and advocate for professional women in the industry throughout his 40-year career, Bob has always paid women the same as men - long before there were laws about it.  As General Manager back in 1980s, he had an almost all-women executive committee consisting of Director of Sales, Executive Housekeeper, Front Office Manager, Catering Manager, Director of Human Resources and Executive Assistant Manager. He has served as a mentor to numerous women and knows his place with a wife and two daughters.