Bryan Benso

Bryan Benso has more than 30 years of experience in various fields, including public capital projects, tribal capital projects, master planning, real estate development, real estate LLC transactions, agency negotiations, and numerous other business acumen verticals. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated the critical skills and core competencies to grow an organization with strong internal and external public relationships. He is acting Managing Director of development pursuits for the Development division of Gafcon and as such his role will include identifying, sourcing, performing due diligence feasibility, and strategizing various investment projects. He provides managing partner oversight of all investment projects and the delivery of those projects within target investment metrics. Bryan also offers principal growth support to the Gafcon PM/CM group as well as the development of a corporatewide strategic plan for the future growth and success of Gafcon.

In 1994, Bryan was hired by Gafcon to serve as a Project Manager and in two years he was promoted to Senior Project Manager. In 2001, he was promoted to Director of Operations and in 2003, he was promoted to join the Executive Committee as Corporate Vice President. In 2008, Bryan joined the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians as the Vice President of Planning and Real Estate Development, where he provided owner representation and acted as a liaison between the SMBMI tribal and casino management, design consultants, and contractors on extensive development and investment projects exceeding $2B in value. In 2020, he returned to Gafcon as the Chief Development Officer. He holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of Illinois at Urbana -Champaign and a Tribal Administration Certification in Tribal Government Management from Clairemont McKenna College. Bryan was honored as a Character Counts recipient by the Public Safety Academy Charter Schools and in 2000 he was awarded Gafcon Project Manager of the Year.

He is an active member of the Lacrosse community serving for the last six years as the President of the Inland Empire Lacrosse Organization which introduces the Inland Empire’s youth to the great sport of Lacrosse.