The man who started Hilton Hotels, Conrad Hilton left his fortune to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. In life, he believed in the power of international travel and trade to foster world peace, and he left guidance for the Foundation to alleviate human suffering around the world, without regard to race, religion, or country.
A history of Hilton family philanthropy
Conrad N. Hilton, founder of Hilton Hotels, established the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation as a philanthropic trust in 1944. In 1950, the Foundation was legally established as a nonprofit corporation, separate from Hilton Hotels Corporation. Upon his death in 1979, Conrad Hilton left nearly his entire estate to the Hilton Foundation. His son, Barron Hilton, joined the Foundation in 1950 and served as board chair from 2007 to 2012. Over the years, he has contributed many millions to the work of the Foundation, and following his father’s example, in 2007, Barron Hilton pledged to leave 97% of his estate to the Foundation. Steven M. Hilton, son of Barron and grandson of Conrad, joined the Foundation in 1983 and was named president in 1998, CEO in 2005, and chairman in 2012. He retired as President and CEO at the end of 2015. Other Hilton family members serve on the Foundation board.