(Charles) Kemmons Wilson

Hotelier, born in Osceola, Arkansas, USA. The owner of a slot-machine business and a small cinema chain, he became dissatisfied with family holiday accommodation, and devised the Holiday Inn motel, opening the first one in Memphis in 1952, with others following soon afterwards. He opened the Holiday Inn Innkeeping School in 1959, went international in 1960, and by 1978 had built the world's largest lodging chain. He retired in 1979.

Kemmons Wilson (January 5, 1913 – February 12, 2003) was the founder of the Holiday Inn chain of hotels.

He was born Charles Kemmons Wilson in Osceola, Arkansas, a son of Kemmons and Ruby "Doll" Wilson.

He opened the first Holiday Inn motel in Memphis in 1952, and quickly added others to create an entire hotel chain.

Wilson graduated from Central High School (Memphis, Tennessee).

Kemmons Wilson died in Memphis and is interred in Forest Hill Cemetery - Midtown in Memphis, Tennessee.