Travis has been doing the top Suns job on an interim basis since the departure of inaugural CEO Travis Auld to a role with the AFL.
He was a red-hot favourite to win the position after being the club's chief operating officer and Auld's right-hand man since 2010.
"I am looking forward to working with all levels of the club in continuing to build our strength on and off the field,” Travis said.
"My focus will be to drive our football department towards on-field success, establishing an elite workplace, and growing our fan base on the Gold Coast and throughout the country."
Travis' first official duty will be to appoint a new coach after Guy McKenna was sacked last week with 12 months remaining on his contract.
He is part of a four-man sub-committee charged with selecting the coach, alongside directors Alan McKenzie and Tony Cochrane and football manager Marcus Ashcroft.
Travis comes to the role with vast experience in senior sports administration roles, including being the director of infrastructure at Melbourne and Olympic Parks, general manager of operations at Etihad Stadium and the commercial manager at Essendon Football Club.
