Barbara Carlson Gage Net Worth, Biography and Career

Barbara Carlson Gage Net Worth $1.7 billion

The American businesswoman Barbara Carlson Gage is one of the most popular figures in the United States. Together with her only sister, Marilyn Carlson Nelson, she inherited their father’s empire when he passed away in 1999.

The siblings received the ownership of Carlson Incorporated, the company built by their father from scratch, which started as a gold bond stamp business back in 1930 but now stands as a successful business entity that encompasses dining, real estate, and travel agencies.

A privately held company, Carlson Incorporated has primary subsidiaries that include a family office that manages the wealth of the owners called Carlson Private Capital Partners, and CWT, a travel management company.

Not counting the wide variety of hotels and restaurants, Carlson Inc. also owns the T.G.I. Fridays, the Radisson Country Inns & Suites, and the internationally renowned brand Blu. Barbara eventually managed the Carlson Foundation which carries out philanthropic activities for children’s charities.

It raises an estimated $6 million in grants every year as it focuses on education and vulnerable children. With Queen Silvia of Sweden, the Carlson family members are the co-founders of the World Childhood Foundation which currently supports 120 programs in 17 countries with the goal of raising awareness and providing assistance in any form to sexually abused or trafficked children and women around the world. Here’s the complete biography and career highlight of Barbara Carlson Cage.

Life & Career

Barbara Carlson Gage is one of the two daughters of Curt Carlson, who passed away in 1999. She graduated from Northwestern University. Her sister is Marilyn Carlson Nelson.

The sisters were brought up by two of the most dedicated and successful hoteliers ever — Curt Carlson and his wife Arleen, who brought success to anything they touched. With a $55 loan, they started a customer-loyalty company known as the Gold Bond Stamp Company.

In 1960, they purchased a tenth of a hotel and grew it into the Radisson chain. In 1975 they acquired a small group of restaurants that stands today as TGI Fridays. Curt and Arleen built their business with tireless work and trust, and those attributes that helped them achieve success in their business endeavors seem to be what they passed on to their daughters.

As they grew older, Barbara eventually succeeded her late father as the president of the Carlson Family Foundation, concentrating it on youth issues and education. Marilyn, on the other hand, succeeded her father as the chief executive officer of Carlson Inc., continuing to build the business and expanding it into an international corporation.

Barbara and her sister inherited their parents’ ability to achieve what they set their minds to and the drive to think beyond themselves.

Marilyn served as chairperson of Mayo Clinic’s board of trustees for 4 years before stepping down in 2014. Her husband, Glen Nelson, is a doctor and an ex-vice chairman of Medtronic, a medical device company.

Achievements: Awards & Honors

Ms. Barbara has done so well as a businesswoman in the highly competitive American business industry. Although there is no record of her picking up any prestigious honors or awards, this dedicated woman has given her maximum best to the roles she plays as a philanthropist who, for the past two decades, has been in charge of the Carlson Family Foundation, concentrating on children’s issues and education.

Her role has helped to protect children and women from sexual exploitation in the United States, in addition to accomplishing many other significant milestones. Her exemplary leadership and service to humanity will always be remembered.

Barbara Carlson Gage Net Worth: Salary, Income Sources, Assets

An outstanding businesswoman with a humanitarian heart of kindness, the heiress Ms. Barbara Carlson Gage is currently entitled to a net worth of 1.7 billion dollars. Today, she is one of the wealthiest people living in Minnesota. She likes to live a very simple life and hardly cares for recognition despite all the money that she has made from her career.

After her father died in 1999, Barbara and her sister Marilyn inherited his fortune. He founded a successful stamp company called Carlson Inc. together with his wife. The company started a stamp trading business in the 1930s and eventually branched out to include other profitable businesses including restaurants and hotels.

Barbara’s inheritance of this company is what made her a billionaire. She leads as the chief executive officer of the company and hardly misses a day without going to her office to oversee the day-to-day activities.

The company currently controls popular brands like Blu, the Radisson Hotels, and T.G.I. Fridays, and the Radisson Country Inns & Suites. A recent report shows that the company is currently in the process of increasing its portfolio to include more than a thousand hotels in the next decade.