Curtis Leroy Carlson

(July 9, 1914 - February 19, 1999)

Selling newspapers was the first business venture for Curtis L. Carlson, a 12 year old son of a Minneapolis grocer. He became an entrepreneur when he recognized the profitability of managing additional paper routes. He organized a network of routes and employed his brothers to make those deliveries. After earning a BA in Economics in 1937 from the University of Minnesota, Mr. Carlson began a promising career with Procter and Gamble, winning the Number One Salesman award for 1938. However, he also started Gold Bond Stamps, an innovative company which introduced a program for grocers to offer rewards to shoppers. Carlson was the first to introduce the use of trading stamps to the food business. The grocers which supplied Gold Bond stamps to their customers saw their business increase by 60%. By 1953, Gold Bond trading stamps had become a household word for Americans. Today's frequent flyer and frequent guest programs are extensions of the trading stamp concept and objective -- to spur sales and command consumer loyalty.

Mr. Carlson's extraordinary success in the stamp business eventually enabled him to diversify his capital. In addition to real estate property, he purchased 50% interest in the downtown Minneapolis Radisson Hotel in 1960, acquired the remaining shares two years later, and then began adding new hotels. This was the way Curt Carlson became an innkeeper.

Today, Curt Carlson's entrepreneurial and leadership skills are legendary and the names of his companies encompass the entire spectrum of the hospitality industry. They include Carlson Hospitality Worldwide with Regent International Hotels and Resorts, Radisson Hotels Worldwide, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises, and Country Inns & Suites by Carlson. These lodging operations include over 470 locations in 42 countries and four cruise ships sailing worldwide. Carlson Marketing Group is a worldwide marketing services company. Friday's Hospitality Worldwide has more than 460 restaurants in 350 cities and 40 countries. Mr. Carlson has five different operations in the travel industry: Carlson Wagonlit Travel, A.T. Mays, Travel Agents International, Carlson Vacations and Carlson Leisure Group with a total of 5,300 travel offices in 140 countries. Added to these companies are Carlson Hospitality Worldwide Procurement Group, Carlson Real Estate, and the newest company Gold Points Plus.

The success of Carlson Companies, Inc. is remarkable and Mr. Carlson is the ultimate goal-driven entrepreneur. After nearly six decades, his privately held business comprises over 100 corporations with a world wide work force of more than 145,000 who represent 125 different countries. At the end of 1996, the company generated system wide revenues of more than $13.4 billion with 26% derived from businesses outside of the United States. Carlson Companies brands are expected to earn more than $20 billion in 1997. It is one of the largest privately held companies in the United States.

Curt Carlson is a firm believer in the free enterprise system. He considers profit to be an essential and an honorable ingredient to a successful business. He gives immeasurably to his community through the economic growth of companies that provide jobs and good salaries with opportunities for advancement, education and prosperity. His goals are not based on how much money each goal will bring. It is other things that make life important, he says. "A company has a responsibility to move forward, or its employees will not move forward. . . . Every employee has ambitions for a better quality of life. I have a little philosophy. Every year, a person has to be better off today than a year ago. If that is so, the employee is satisfied and works hard. When this isn't so, you have problems with your employees." He also says that "one should reach as high as you can, if you miss getting to the stars, at least you reach the moon.

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