OUR COMMITMENT TO THE CREDO
Guided by our Credo, our Foundation commits to:
Engage multiple generations of our family to work together and alongside the community in pursuit of the vision: ensuring that all youth — particularly youth of color — realize their dreams and potential.
Make heartfelt decisions based on a deep understanding of the research, the context, and the lived experiences of those we serve.
Build trust, keep promises and deeply engage with partners committed to listening, learning and driving impact designed by and for community.
Demonstrate the courage to take the lead, say what needs to be said, convene leaders and communities, leverage our resources, aspire to systemic change, set measurable goals, deliver these goals, and always be prepared to adapt as needed.
Persevere and recognize that impact takes time, sustained focus and continuous learning.
ABOUT THE FOUNDATION
Gold Bond Stamp Company founder and Carlson family patriarch Curtis L. Carlson established the Curtis L. Carlson Foundation, as it was originally called, alongside his wife, Arleen, the family matriarch, in 1959. The name was changed to the Carlson Family Foundation in 1994 to better reflect the giving nature of the entire Carlson family, to encourage multigenerational engagement and to create a sound platform for the Foundation’s future.
Curt Carlson, however, was far from the first in his family to feel the responsibility to give back. That trait stems all the way back to his Scandinavian ancestors, to whom hard work, doing their fair share and returning a portion of what they earned was just a way of life. Sharing your good fortune was simply what you did.
Fueled by this family legacy and their own good fortune, Curt and Arleen exemplified care and commitment for the greater good, working hard to inspire others to do the same.
This way of life represents everything the Carlson family stands for and continues to inspire generation after generation, from simple acts like contributing to the offering in church each Sunday, to co-founding the Minnesota Keystone Program, originally “The 5% Club” (a group of businesses committed to returning 5% of all profits back to the community), to participating in countless other giving opportunities. Curt and Arleen Carlson began a legacy, ignited a passion and fostered an ongoing commitment of caring, sharing and giving back that continues in the Carlson family to this day, four generations on and counting.
TRUSTEES
Alexander Muresanu
Chair
Abigail Gage
Trustee
Barbara Gage
Trustee
Emma Gage
Trustee
Geoffrey Gage
Trustee
Gina Gage
Trustee
Patrick Gage
Treasurer
Rick Gage
Trustee
Tenley Gage
Trustee
Juliet Jackson
Trustee
Marilyn Nelson
Trustee
Wendy Nelson
Trustee
STAFF
Aretha Green-Rupert
Program Director
Dana Jensen
Program Director
Elly Kjeldbjerg
Program Associate
C. David Nelson
Executive Director
Jess Nordman
Grants Management Associate
Julie Pilarski
Executive Assistant
Javier Sampedro
Communications Director
Nicholas Schmidt
Senior Grants Manager
ABOUT OUR FOUNDER
Curtis L. Carlson attributed the realization of his dreams to matriculating at the University of Minnesota during the depths of the Great Depression. He often spoke of only having to pay $15 per quarter for the education and experience that became foundational to his success, sparking a lifelong commitment to give back to the institution that had given him so much.
After graduating from the university, in the midst of the Great Depression, Curt founded the Gold Bond Stamp Company with a $55 loan, a big idea and an even bigger heart.
Gold Bond and its sister company, Top Value Stamps, went on to revolutionize the way retail goods were marketed. Trading stamps proved to be right for the time and swept the nation in a wave of dramatic growth.
In the late 1960s, when the trading stamp market reached its peak, the Gold Bond Stamp Company expanded into the hospitality industry. By the 1970s, the company had acquired dozens of additional businesses, including TGI Friday’s, Radisson Hotels and Carlson Wagonlit Travel. To reflect its diversification, Gold Bond changed its name to Carlson Companies in 1973, and since 2006 it has been known simply as Carlson. Today, Carlson remains a major global company, operating across almost 150 countries and serving a variety of needs and world markets.
Carlson is proud to remain a family company — a family company that is widely recognized, awarded and applauded as a business with a social conscience that strives to be a source for good.
Giving Back to the University of Minnesota
Throughout his life, the University of Minnesota remained near and dear to Curt Carlson’s heart. When he gave his first gift to his alma mater, he said: “I gave this money back to the State of Minnesota for giving me an almost free education, so I had the tools to go into business … There is no better way to express my deep appreciation to all Minnesotans than to make available a university that helps our graduates and future executives of our industries (be) competitive with the rest of the world … ”
In 1986, Curt gave $25 million, the largest single gift given by a living donor to a public university at that time. This investment marked the beginning of the newly named Carlson School of Management and its ascent in business school rankings.
Since then, the Foundation has continued to support the university in ways that honor Curt’s legacy, including the renovation of the new Northrop; the Distinguished Carlson Lecture Series; endowed chairs that enable the university to attract and retain top-caliber faculty to spark innovation and drive groundbreaking research; UNCF scholarships for graduate students; and the promotion of Minnesota’s entrepreneurial ecosystem through the school’s MN Cup competition.
In 2018, the Foundation announced another landmark $15 million gift to advance the Carlson School’s capacity for global leadership through student exchanges, faculty-led programs, internships, Global Executive MBA programs, partnerships and more. This latest gift reflects the Foundation’s belief that the success of the university and Minnesotans are directly linked.
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