Fortune describes Nelson as a "new star" among the female business leaders the publication has included in its Top 50 list published in the October 12 issue. Nelson became president and CEO of Carlson Companies in March 1998, overseeing one of the largest privately held corporations in the world. She also is on the Exxon and U.S. West boards of directors, and is a member of the World Travel and Tourism Council and the U.S. National Tourism Organization.

"It is truly an honor for me to be included on the Fortune list," Nelson said. "I share this recognition with all of the Carlson men and women who have contributed their knowledge and expertise to establish our company as a global leader in the travel, hospitality and marketing industries. Their roles in creating new technologies and providing high-quality customer service are immense and will continue to contribute to our successes in the future."

The top 10 Fortune leaders, in addition to Nelson, include Carly Fiorina of Lucent Technologies, syndicated television celebrity Oprah Winfrey, Heidi Miller of Travelers Group, Shelly Lazarus of Ogilvy Mather Worldwide, Sherry Lansing of Paramount Pictures, Jill Barad of Mattel, Andrea Jung of Avon Products, Abby Joseph Cohen of Goldman Sachs and Marjorie Scardino of Pearson PLC. Martha Stewart, chairman and CEO of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, is listed eleventh.

Fortune describes Nelson as "a tenacious, risk-loving grandmother," and points out that she celebrated her new appointment by flying in an F-16 fighter jet over the Nevada desert.

"We thought about power as something much greater than simply profile, position or pay," the Fortune report says. "We measured power broadly -- by revenues and profits controlled, influence inside the company, the importance of the business in the global economy, and its impact on American culture."

Carlson Companies, Inc., founded in 1938, is an international leader in providing superior hospitality, travel and marketing services and solutions to corporate and consumer clients. Among Carlson Companies' well-known brands and services are Regent International Hotels, Radisson Hotels Worldwide, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises, Country Inns Suites By Carlson, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, T.G.I. Friday's restaurants, and Carlson Marketing Group, the largest integrated marketing services in the United States. Based in Minneapolis, Carlson Companies operates in more than 140 countries. The corporation's brands employ 147,000 people worldwide and generated a record-breaking $20 billion in revenues in 1997. For more information about Carlson Companies, visit http://www.carlson.com on the Internet.