Carlson Companies

Carlson Companies
Carlson
Type Closely Held Corporation
Industry Hospitality, Travel
Founded 1938
Headquarters Minnetonka, Minnesota, USA
Key people Hubert Joly (President and CEO)
Products Hotel, Restaurant and Travel services
Employees About 170,000
Website http://www.carlson.com

Carlson (often referred to by its previous name Carlson Companies) is a privately held international corporation in the hotel, restaurant, and travel industries. Headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota, near Minneapolis,[1] Carlson brands and services, including franchised operations, employ more than 170,000 people in more than 150 countries and territories.[citation needed] The company's 2008 sales, including those from franchised operations, totaled $38 billion. It is one of the largest family-held corporations in the United States.

Contents

History

Carlson was founded in 1938 as the Gold Bond Stamp Company by Curt Carlson, who used a $55 loan to start his venture. Founded during the Great Depression, Mr. Carlson used "Gold Bond Stamps", a consumer loyalty program based on trading stamps, to provided consumer incentive for grocery stores.

Revenue from this business was brisk until the late 1960s, when trading stamps began to lose popularity. The company was renamed "Carlson Companies" in 1973 as it diversified into hospitality and travel industries.

In 1962, Carlson purchased its first Radisson Hotel in Minneapolis. It then went on to purchase T.G.I. Friday's in 1975 and Country Kitchen International in 1977. In 1987 Carlson founded Country Inns & Suites By CarlsonSM. In 2000, Carlson acquired the Park Plaza® and Park Inn® brands.

In 1994 Carlson Travel Group and Paris-based Wagonlit Travel signed an alliance to form Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) — one of the world's largest business travel management companies.

In a return to its roots, the Carlson Companies started an electronic consumer incentive program named GoldPoints.com in 1997. The program later was modified and became goldpoints plusSM, the incentive program of Carlson Hotels. Effective March 31, 2011 Club CarlsonSM will replace the goldpoints plus hotel loyalty program.

In 1998, Curtis L. Carlson named his daughter Marilyn Carlson Nelson as his successor; a year later he died. Hubert Joly became Carlson's president and chief executive officer in 2008, and Nelson continues to serve as chairman of the board.

Portfolio

Carlson's subsidiaries include:

Carlson Hotels
Carlson Restaurants
Travel

Diversity

In 2010, for the eighth time in recent history, Carlson was named one of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers by Working Mother magazine. For four consecutive years, 2006–2009, Carlson was named one of the “Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality.” In 2002, Carlson was on Fortune magazine's list of “The 100 Best Companies to Work For.”

Notes

  1. ^ "Contact." Carlson Companies. Retrieved on February 9, 2011. "Carlson 701 Carlson Parkway Minnetonka, MN 55305 U.S.A."

External links

Portal icon Minnesota portal
Portal icon Companies portal

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