Curt Carlson

Curtis Leroy "Curt" Carlson (July 9, 1914 – February 19, 1999) was an American businessman and founder of Carlson and Radisson Hotel Group.[1]

For the CEO of SRI International, see Curtis Carlson.

Early life and education

Carlson was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of Charles and Leatha Carlson. Charles Carlson was a Swedish-American immigrant who arrived as a child in Minnesota; Leatha Carlson was born in Downing, Wisconsin of a Danish father and Swedish mother. He began a promising career with Procter and Gamble after earning a BA in Economics in 1937 from the University of Minnesota where he served as President, and Recruitment Chair for Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity- MN Alpha chapter.[2][3]

Career

Carlson began working for Proctor & Gamble and then founded the Gold Bond Stamp Company in 1938.[4] Carlson used "Gold Bond Stamps", a consumer loyalty program based on trading stamps, to provide consumer incentive for grocery stores. Carlson was the first entrepreneur to develop a loyalty program for the grocery chain through the issuance of trading stamps. What began as a simple loyalty program for grocers in the Midwest grew into one of the largest service providers of frequent shopper / buyer programs across a variety of retail and hospitality sectors.[5][6]

Carlson expanded his offerings by purchasing the downtown Minneapolis Radisson Hotel in 1960 and building it into a national chain. He also acquired TGI Fridays, Carlson Leisure Group and hundreds of other hospitality businesses.[7]

The Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota is named for him, in recognition of his $25 million gift, the largest single donation to a public university at that time.[8] Curt Carlson created an estate in Lake Nebagamon, Wisconsin for his family to gather. Publicly known as Minnesuing Acres after the lake it is located on, the Carlson family refer to it as "the lodge". This estate was where his family gathers for important holidays. This estate was later converted to a business resort for corporations. It continues to host business seminars as well as Carlson/Gage family get-togethers.[9]

Awards

Selected works
  • Good as Gold : the Story of the Carlson Companies (Carlson Companies, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, 1994)

References
  1. Former Owner /CEO of Radisson Hotels, Carlson Travel (Murat Shrine.org
  2. Carlson, Curtis L. Minnesota entrepreneur.Founder of Carlson Companies (New York Times. February 23, 1999)
  4. "Curt L. Carlson, President and Board Chairman, Carlson Companies". Minnesota Historical Society. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  5. Curtis Leroy Carlson (The University of Houston, Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management)"Archived copy". Archived from the original on June 14, 2010. Retrieved September 4, 2009.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. Business leader Curt Carlson(Star Tribune. March 26, 1999) Archived June 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  7. Gold Bond Stamp Company / Carlson Companies 1938 – 1998 (Harvard Business School)
  8. "Driven: The Campaign for the Carlson School". Carlson School of Management. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  9. Obituary of Curtis L. Carlson, Founder and Chairman (Hotel Online data base of News and Trends)
  10. "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement". www.achievement.org. American Academy of Achievement.
  11. "SAHF Inductees". hostfest.com. Norsk Høstfest. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
  12. "Curtis L. Carlson DeMolay International Hall of Fame". DeMolay International.
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