MINNEAPOLIS, November 10, 2003 -  The family of the late Curtis L. Carlson, a Minnesota entrepreneur who built a trading stamp company into a multibillion-dollar hospitality, marketing and travel corporation, will receive the fifth annual Hospitality Heritage Award Tuesday evening, November 11, in New York City.

The award, to be presented at The Regent Wall Street by the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation (AH&LEF), acknowledges the family's outstanding contributions to the travel and tourism industry. Each year the foundation, the non-profit affiliate of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), honors a family or individual for leadership and commitment to the growth and prosperity of the lodging industry.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the scholarship and research missions of the foundation.

The Carlson family will be represented at the dinner tribute by Mrs. Arleen Carlson, wife of the company's founder; Carlson Companies Chairman, CEO and co-owner Marilyn Carlson Nelson and spouse and board member Dr. Glen Nelson; board member and co-owner Barbara Carlson Gage and spouse and board member Edwin "Skip" Gage; and President and Chief Operating Officer Curtis C. Nelson and spouse Marjorie.

In his former leadership positions with Carlson Hospitality Worldwide, Curtis Nelson has actively supported the AH&LA and other hospitality industry groups. He launched the Experience Lodging Initiative of the AH&LA to implement strategies that attract and retain the most talented workers for the hospitality industry. He also has been a key contributor to the foundation and its "New Century Fund."

Curtis L. Carlson (1914-1999), father of Marilyn Carlson Nelson and Barbara Carlson Gage, founded the company as the Gold Bond Stamp Company in 1938. Today, Carlson Companies is a global leader in the hospitality, business and leisure travel, and marketing industries with operations in more than 140 countries. Carlson is a leader in the hospitality industry through 885 hotels in 67 countries (Regent International Hotels, Radisson Hotels & Resorts, Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson, Park Inn hotels); its five luxury cruise ships; and more than 800 restaurants in 56 countries (T.G.I. Friday's and Pick Up Stix restaurant brands).

"The Carlsons are luminaries in the hospitality community, and we are pleased to honor them as recipients of this distinguished award, one of the lodging industry's most prestigious honors," said AH&LA President and CEO Joseph A. McInerney. "The family's late founder and heirs are noted for their successful leadership and trendsetting ideas as well as philosophy of giving back to the industry and community."

In April 2002, the AH&LEF merged with the American Hotel & Lodging Association's other affiliate, the Educational Institute, to become the largest educational and training provider for the hospitality industry.

Among the names in the Carlson Companies family of brands and services are: Carlson Marketing Group®, Carlson Wagonlit Travel®, Carlson Destination Marketing Services, Regent® International Hotels, Radisson® Hotels & Resorts, Park Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson®, Park Inn® hotels, Results Travel, Cruise Holidays, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises®, and T.G.I. Friday's® and Pick Up Stix® restaurants. Carlson Companies' 2002 systemwide sales (including franchises) totaled $19.8 billion, while sales from the company's owned and operated divisions totaled $6.7 billion.

With headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, Carlson Companies was recognized by Working Mother magazine as one of the "100 best companies for working mothers" in 2001, 2002 and 2003. In addition, Fortune magazine named Carlson Companies as one of "the 100 Best Companies to Work For" in 2002.