There are few names in the hotel industry as well-known as Conrad Nicholson Hilton III. He was born into a family of hoteliers and quickly learned the ins and outs of the business. In 1919, he founded the Hilton Hotels Corporation, which would become one of the largest hotel chains in the world.
Hilton was a pioneer in the hotel industry and helped shape it into what it is today. Thanks to his hard work and determination, millions of people have been able to enjoy comfortable visits to some of the best hotels around the globe.
About Conrad Nicholson Hilton III
Conrad Nicholson Hilton III was born in San Antonio, Texas, on October 23, 1887. His father, Conrad Hilton Sr., was a successful businessman who owned many hotels in the western United States. His mother, Mary Genevieve Laufersweiler Hilton, was a devout Catholic who instilled her faith in her children. Conrad Hilton Jr. was the eldest of three children; he had two younger sisters, Elizabeth and Sarah.
The Hilton family was not wealthy, but they were comfortable. Conrad Hilton Sr. believed that his son should learn the value of hard work and responsibility, so he put him to work in the family businesses at a young age. Conrad Hilton Jr. spent summers cleaning rooms and doing odd jobs in his father’s hotels. He later said that these early experiences taught him the importance of providing good customer service.
Conrad Hilton Jr. did not initially intend to follow in his father’s footsteps. He enrolled at the New Mexico Military Institute, planning to become a lawyer. However, after just one year, he declined to help his father run the family’s businesses. Then, Conrad Hilton Jr. realized his true calling was in the hotel industry.
In 1919, Conrad Hilton Jr. founded the Hilton Hotels Corporation. The first hotel in the chain was the Mobley Hotel in Cisco, Texas. The hotel was a success, and Hilton soon began expanding his empire. He built new hotels in Dallas, Houston, and other cities across the United States. By the mid-1920s, the Hilton Hotels Corporation was one of the largest hotel chains in the country.
Conrad Hilton Jr. continued to grow his business throughout his life. In 1925, he opened the first international Hilton hotel in Mexico City. He also built several iconic hotels in New York City, including the Waldorf Astoria and the Plaza Hotel. Conrad Hilton Jr. died on January 15, 1979, at 91. However, his legacy continues through the Hilton Hotels Corporation, now one of the world’s largest and most successful hotel chains.
Net Worth of Conrad Nicholson Hilton III
Conrad Hilton Jr. was a very successful businessman and amassed a considerable fortune throughout his career. When he died in 1979, his net worth was estimated to be $200 million. That would be equivalent to about $800 million in today’s dollars.
