MINNEAPOLIS? Legend has it that as a young career woman starting out, Marilyn Carlson Nelson was forced to sign her work as a securities analyst at Paine Webber as ?M.C. Nelson,? the better to cover her identity in a male-dominated business world. Today, as head of her family business, Carlson Companies, she is still the designated MC, having taken center stage to push best-of-class performance from the synergistic pieces of the multi-billion-dollar conglomerate built by her father, the late Curt Carlson. Nelson has spent most of her career wending through the company in various management capacities, never assumptive of holding the leadership baton she now grasps based on genes alone. In a 30-year span, Nelson spent 20 handling community relations. Then in 1988, she began acquiring executive titles? vice chair of Carlson Holdings, co-chair of Carlson Wagonlit Travel, COO of Carlson Companies? and greater knowledge. During the same period, a small procession of men, most hand-picked by Carlson as potential successors, had created a revolving door in the executive suite. They were discontented, some say, that in their race toward the top they could see the baton being waved but couldn?t get the hand-off. As each exited the big picture, Nelson remained. In 1998, 60 years after her father had launched the business as the Gold Bond Stamp Co., she crossed the finish line as president and CEO. Given the long entrepreneurial shadow cast by the hard-driving Carlson, perhaps Nelson?s slow but steady emergence as a strong leader for the privately held firm now gives her pride of place in tossing aside political correctness in asking to be referred to as chairman, president and CEO. Just like the big boys. It?s been a year since she moved to the head of the boardroom table following Carlson?s death in February 1999. In that time, Nelson has continued to bring her own management style to bear on the corporate culture, and without losing sight of either the company?s momentum or foundation. Her attitude is reflective of the company itself: steeped in tradition yet transitioning to meet the challenges of serving corporate clients and consumers in a global marketplace. According to Nelson, Carlson Companies has an integrated view of the future. That perspective seems only logical for a behemoth company that has four operating groups? Carlson Hospitality Worldwide, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Carlson Leisure Group, Carlson Marketing Group? encompassing hotels, restaurants, corporate and retail travel agencies, a cruise line, vacation ownership and residential living, as well as a raft of purchasing, marketing and incentive services. Indeed, Carlson-related brands in 1999 produced $31.4 billion in gross systemwide sales, almost $10 billion more than 1998. And while she has her son, Curtis, at her right hand running the core Carlson Hospitality Worldwide as president/CEO, and a phalanx of seasoned executives riding herd on other divisions, it?s ultimately up to Nelson? called the most powerful woman in travel? to pull it all together in the here and now for the future. ?I don?t sleep anymore and it?s because I?m both anxious and excited: anxious because the opportunities are so multitudinous, so extraordinary that choosing and focus is very difficult; excited because of the Internet and how we?re coming together to provide experiences and wrap information in ways that will allow us to speak more directly to an individual?s needs and desires,? said Nelson. The CEO has embraced technology as one of several differentiators for the company, and credits the Internet with creating the greatest change in her life, even beyond her appointment as chairman. ?I think being chairman has all the challenges of reconciling, negotiating, balancing the interests of the consumer and analyzing the gap between where we are and where we?d like to go, how we?d like to invest and make choices and prioritize. That?s always a challenge. The biggest change is what the I
