Curtis Carlson

SCANDINAVIAN-AMERICAN HALL OF FAME
1989 INDUCTEE

Curtis LeRoy Carlson was born July 9, 1914 in Downing, Wis., to a Danish father and Swedish mother. He went on to build one of America’s largest corporations – The Gold Bond Stamp Company.  As board chairman and sole owner of the $5.3 billion dollar a year Carlson Companies, Carlson had more than 75 different companies employing more than 55,000 people.  His businesses included operations in incentives, hotels, resorts, travel and tour agencies, restaurants, marketing sales promotion, motivation and training programs and property ownership and management.

Carlson was chairman of the board for 20 entities, a director for 13, and serves on several civic and political boards.  He and his wife, Arleen, had two daughters, Marilyn and Barbara, and seven grandchildren. Carlson died February 19, 1999.