Curtis Leroy Carlson (July 9, 1914 – February 19, 1999) was an American businessman and founder of Carlson and Radisson Hotel Group.[1] Carlson developed a popular trading stamp consumer loyalty program for grocery stores in the United States.
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. Curt Carlson began a career with Procter and Gamble after earning a BA in Economics in 1937 from the University of Minnesota where he was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.[2][3]
Carlson began working for Procter & 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 a grocery chain through the issuance of trading stamps.[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 which was later converted to a business resort for corporations.[9]
