Curt Carlson's entrepreneurial and leadership skills are legendary.  In 1937, Mr. Carlson began a sales career with Procter and Gamble, where he was awarded the "Number One Salesman" award.  As an entrepreneur, Mr. Carlson (pictured left), started Gold Bond Stamps, an innovative reward program for its time, which he introduced to grocers.  He was the first to use trading stamps in the grocery business and by 1953, Gold Bond had become a staple in American households.  All of today's airline frequent flyer programs are electronic extensions of the trading stamp concept he created.  The objective is the same; win sales and reward brand loyalty.

Mr. Carlson's extraordinary success with Gold Bond enabled him to diversify into the hospitality industry.  He purchased the Minneapolis Radisson Hotel in 1960, and then began building new hotels.  Later he acquired ownership of and began franchising the TGI Friday's and Country Kitchen restaurant chains.  Mr. Carlson loved selling and was always regarded as the "consummate salesman."  He took a personal interest in and served as mentor to many of his young franchise salesmen, including Kim Andereck (pictured with Mr. Carlson in the photo on the right).  Today, Carlson Companies is one of the largest privately held franchise sales organizations in the world, with systemwide revenues exceeding $26.1 billion (click here for more information).  Carlson Companies brands include Carlson Hospitality Worldwide,  Radisson Hotels Worldwide, Regent International Hotels and Resorts, Radisson Seven Seas Cruise Lines, Country Inns & Suites by Carlson and Carlson Marketing Group, a worldwide marketing services company. Carlson Companies has five different operations in the travel industry: Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Travel Agents International, A.T. Mays, Carlson Vacations and Carlson Leisure Group with a total of 5,300 travel offices in 140 countries. Curt Carlson was a firm believer in the free enterprise system.  He considered profit to be an essential and an honorable ingredient to a successful business.  He contributed generously to his community through the economic growth of companies that provide jobs, good salaries, opportunities for advancement, education and prosperity.  "A company has the responsibility to move forward or its employees will not move forward.  Every employee has ambitions for a better quality of life.  Each year, a person has to be better off than the year before.  A satisfied employee works hard.  When this isn't so, the employer shares the employee's problems."  The success of Carlson Companies is remarkable and Mr. Carlson was the ultimate goal-driven entrepreneur.  After nearly seven decades, his privately held business comprises over 100 corporations, supported by a worldwide work force of more than 145,000 in 125 different countries.   Click here to return to Experience