Conrad N. Hilton, Innkeeper Extraordinaire, Statesman and Philanthropist

The article presents information about Conrad Nicholson Hilton chairman of Hilton Hotels Corp. and Hilton International. He acquired his fame as the hotetman who owned prestigious landmark hotels--the Steven's. He established standards of quality in the fields of hotel management and operations for the entire hospitality industry. As a result of his achievements, he became an extremely well known businessman. He was one of seven children born to a Norwegian immigrant father and a German-American mother in the small town of San Antonio, New Mexico on Christmas Day, 1887. Hilton earned success by purchasing hotels when they were unprofitable, and then turned each one into an exceptionally profitable operation. According to archival documents and various 1950s hotel trade publications, Hilton set financial management standards for controlling the cost of hotel operations with a magic formula. He required his department heads to calculate departmental costs and to evaluate the actual cost at the month's end.

Baird, Cathleen. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education, 2004, Vol. 16 Issue 3, p5-17, 13p