This is one of four articles on outstanding alumni.
Imagine a family trip across the United States with five kids in tow. Don’t stop there, it gets worse. Imagine not a single Holiday Inn, Wilson Inn, Wilson World, or the like in sight. The only lodging available to your family are hotels you wouldn’t send a dog you didn’t like to, and even those places charge an additional $2 per child in addition to the normal room rate.
This is the world Kemmons Wilson faced the summer of 1951.
Wilson was upset that his “$6 room became a $16 room.”
Wilson was horrified at the lack of cleanliness, lack of space and overall poor facilities of the hotels they encountered. After this eye-opening trip, Wilson told his wife he was going to build a hotel. She laughed. He then said he would build not one, but 400 hotels over time.
Wilson hired a draftsman to create plans for his hotel. He opened his first Holiday Inn in August of 1952 on Summer Avenue in Memphis. The name originated from a Bing Crosby film on TV at the time. Ten years later, in December of 1962, Wilson opened his 400th hotel. Presently there are over 1,000 hotels across the United States as well as in over 70 countries.
Dr. Shirley Raines, president of The University of Memphis, calls Wilson “the father of a modern industry.”
Wilson desired to provide consistent lodging options on the road as well as great values with a trusted brand name.
Wilson was honored at the 23rd annual Distinguished Alumni Award Ceremony at the Peabody Hotel. Wilson received recognition as a Distinguished University Friend. Wilson adds this award to his already impressive awards list, which includes the Travel Hall of Fame by the American Society of Travel Agents, Inc.
Wilson was born Jan. 5, 1913, to Kemmons and Ruby “Doll” Wilson in Osceola, Arkansas. Wilson’s father was in the insurance business. When Wilson was nine months old, his father died and he and his mother moved to Memphis.
Wilson dropped out of high school. However, he later received his diploma from Central High School in Memphis.
In 1941, Wilson married his wife Dorothy on Dec. 2. Together they had five kids: Spence, Bob, Kem, Betty Moore and Carole West.
Wilson has recently built the Wilson School of Hotel and Restaurant Management here on campus. The $15 million structure will provide students with the opportunity to run a bona fide hotel and will also provide classrooms for teaching.
“I’m giving the school to teach people how to run a hotel,” Wilson said. “The hotel business is a growing business, where I made my money. I get to do something for someone else. You have to have the right attitude and like people.”
In 1996, Wilson released his autobiography Half Luck and Half Brains. Wilson said he never wanted to write a book, but his children pressed him to write a book for them and he ended up enjoying it.
“Remember that success requires half luck and half brains,” Wilson said.
