Edward Carlson

Edward Carlson (June 4, 1911 - April 3, 1990), was a successful businessman, and Seattle civic leader.

Carlson was born in Tacoma, Washington from humble beginnings and helped his single mother make ends meet as a child by working as an attendant at a gas station as well as other odd jobs. Carlson entered the University of Washington and began his hotel career as a pageboy then elevator operator while he was a student. He then joined the Navy, and after completing his service, Carlson began his ascension from an entry level clerk to Chairman and CEO of Westin Hotels in 1969. United Airlines and Westin Hotels merged in 1970 and Carlson became CEO of the newly formed company, U.A.L., from 1971-1979 turning around the almost bankrupt airliner into a profitable one in two years.

Carlson is credited in bringing the 1962 World's Fair, the Century 21 Exposition to Seattle and sketched the conceptual design of the Space Needle on a napkin. Harvard Business School named Carlson one of the great business leaders of the twentieth century.

Edward E. Carlson Leadership and Public Service Center

In 1992, through a generous gift from the Carlson family, the Carlson Leadership and Public Service Center [http://depts.washington.edu/leader/index.html] was founded at the University of Washington [http://www.washington.edu/] . Since its inception, the Center has worked with faculty to extend classroom learning, helped students make meaningful contributions to the community and promoted the development of effective citizens and leaders. Through the Carlson Center each year, hundreds of UW students engage in public service. Through each of them, Carlson's legacy of public service lives on.

External links

* [http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=7202 Biography] on [http://www.historylink.org/ HistoryLink] .