Carlson Companies
About Carlson
Carlson is a global group of integrated companies providing business and leisure travel, hotel, restaurant, cruise, and marketing services. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A., Carlson has operations in nearly 150 countries and territories, and employs approximately 170,000 people. The Carlson family of brands and services include: Regent Hotels & Resorts®, Radisson Hotels & Resorts®, Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson, Park Inn® hotels, Regent Seven Seas Cruises®, T.G.I. Friday's® and Pick Up Stix® restaurants, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Cruise Holidays, All Aboard Travel, Cruise Specialists, Fly4less.com, CruiseDeals.com, Results Travel, Carlson Destination Marketing Services, Carlson Leisure Travel Services, SeaMaster Cruises®, SinglesCruise.com®, CW Government Travel, Carlson Marketing®, Peppers & Rogers Group®, and Gold Points Reward Network®.
Staff Information
Marilyn Carlson Nelson, Chairwoman and CEO--Marilyn Carlson Nelson is chairman and chief executive officer of Carlson. Forbes magazine has regularly selected Marilyn as one of "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women." She is on the World Economic Forum's International Business Council and in 2004 co-chaired the Forum's annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. She recently completed a presidential appointment as chair of the National Women's Business Council, an advisory council to the President and Congress; and is currently vice chair of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board. In October 2006, H.E. Jean-David Levitte, French Ambassador to the United States, presented Marilyn with a French national honor created by Napoleon Bonaparte: Chevalier (Knight) in the French Légion d'Honneur. Marilyn was also named one of "America's Best Leaders," by U.S. News and World Report. Marilyn is a past national chair of the Travel Industry Association of America, has served as a delegate to the White House Conference on Tourism, and was on the board of the U.S. National Tourism Organization. She is currently on the Singapore Tourism Board.
Leslie Kupchella, Director of Public Affairs--Leslie Kupchella serves as Director of Public Affairs for Carlson and is based in the world headquarters in Minneapolis. Leslie brings 20+ years of experience in broadcasting, corporate marketing and public relations and politics, having served as Press Secretary to both Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN) and Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty. She joined Carlson in May of 2006.
Board of Directors
- Lee Chaden (Hanesbrands Inc)
- Barbara Clarson Gage (Curtis L Carlson Family Foundation)
- Scott Gage (Gage Outdoor Expeditions)
- Glen Nelson (GDN Holdings, LLS)
- Lawrence Pearlman (Seagate Technology; Ceridian Corporation)
- Harald Einsmann (Equity Partners)
- Edwin Gage (Gage Marketing Group)
- Diana Nelson (Curtis L Carlson Family Foundation)
