marilyn carlson nelson awarded british travel industry hall of fame

MARILYN CARLSON NELSON AWARDED BRITISH TRAVEL INDUSTRY
HALL OF FAME
LONDON, April 5, 2011 — Carlson, a global hospitality and travel company, today announced that
Marilyn Carlson Nelson, chairman and former CEO of Carlson, was honored last night with
membership into the British Travel and Hospitality Industry Hall of Fame at the Savoy in London for
her outstanding achievement in creating and developing the travel, hospitality and tourism industry.
Nelson’s father, Curtis L. Carlson, founder of
Carlson, was among the first industry leaders to
receive the same accolade when he became a
member in 1996.
“Our industry brings people of different cultures
and faiths together around common goals. It
facilitates global partnerships. It replenishes the
spirit. It inspires curiosity and wonder. And, it
builds friendships. The truth is, as an industry we
are more relevant and more needed in today’s
world than perhaps at any other time in our
history,” said Nelson in accepting her award.
Under her decade-long tenure as president and
chief executive officer of Carlson starting in
1998, Nelson doubled its system-wide revenue
to nearly USD 40 billion and grew its global
presence in more than 150 countries. She
personally orchestrated a number of mergers
and acquisitions including the merger of Carlson
business travel agency operations with Accor of
France, creating Carlson Wagonlit Travel, as well
as the acquisition of Navigant International. She
also oversaw the merger of Regent Hotels &
Resorts and Radisson Seven Seas Cruises under the global Regent banner.
Marilyn Carlson Nelson, chairman, Carlson, was honored
with membership into the British Travel and Hospitality
Industry Hall of Fame from Wolfgang Neumann,
commercial director, Avis, in London on April 4, 2011.
Nelson has been named one of the “The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” by Forbes. U.S. News
and World Report selected her as one of “America’s Best Leaders” and Ethisphere Magazine named
her one of the “100 Most Influential People in Business Ethics.”
Nelson is on the World Economic Forum’s International Business Council. She is also a member of
the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). She serves on The World Bank’s Global Private
Sector Leaders Forum; and she is co-founder and an advisory board member of the Women Leaders
Program of the World Economic Forum.
In the U.S., Nelson served as chair of the National Women’s Business Council, a bi-partisan advisory
council to the President and Congress, and is past chair of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory
Board.

Under Nelson’s leadership, Carlson was the first North American travel company to take a stand in
the fight against the sexual exploitation of children in the tourism industry by signing an international
code of conduct.
In 2006, she was inducted into the French Legion d’Honneur. She is also a member of the Royal
Order of the North Star First Class presented by the King and Queen of Sweden, the Order of the
White Rose Officer First Class, presented by the President of Finland and commander of the Royal
Norwegian Order of Merit presented by the King of Norway.
Nelson also serves on the boards of ExxonMobil Corporation, the Committee Encouraging Corporate
Philanthropy, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and is Chair of the Mayo Clinic Board of
Trustees.
She is the best-selling author of How We Lead Matters: Reflections on a Life of Leadership (McGraw-
Hill, 2008).
In addition to Nelson, other 2011 Hall of Fame Members honored at the annual dinner included:
Micky Arison, Chairman of the Board & CEO, Carnival Corporation; Jim French CBE, Chairman and
CEO, Flybe; and Christopher Rodrigues CBE, Chairman, VisitBritain.
About Carlson
Carlson is a global hospitality and travel company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn. Carlson encompasses
more than 1,070 hotels, including Radisson ® , Country Inns & Suites By Carlson SM , Park Inn by Radisson and
Park Plaza ® ; more than 900 T.G.I. Friday’s ® restaurants; and a majority stake in Carlson Wagonlit Travel ® , the
global leader in business travel management. Carlson operates in more than 150 countries and its brands
employ about 170,000 people. http://www.carlson.com
About the Hall of Fame
The British Travel and Hospitality Industry Hall of Fame was created in 1995 to honor excellence and
outstanding achievement in those who have played a significant part in creating and developing the travel,
hospitality and tourism industry.
Contacts:
Joan Cronson or Ben Gardeen, Carlson | 1 (763) 212-1418 or 1 (763) 212-8129 | jcronson@carlson.com or
bgardeen@carlson.com; Fiona McRobert, MSLGroup | 1 (310) 890-5121 | fiona.mcrobert@mslgroup.com
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Christine Fischer, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, UK | 44 (0) 20 3353 1113 | cfischer@carlsonwagonlit.co.uk; Richard
Rigby, Four bgb | 44 (0) 20 3023 9927 | Richard.Rigby@fourbgb.com