By Stefanie Dazio | Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — Barron Hilton, a hotel magnate who expanded his fathers chain and became a founding owner in the American Football League, died Thursday at his Los Angeles home. He was 91.
Hiltons family said he died of natural causes. He transformed Hilton into the industrys top brand during his 30 years as its chief executive. The Blackstone Group bought the international chains 2,800 hotels — including its famed Waldorf-Astoria — for $26 billion in 2007.
“The Hilton family mourns the loss of a remarkable man,” said Steven M. Hilton, his son and chairman of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, said in a statement. “He lived a life of great adventure and exceptional accomplishment.”
An avid pilot who served as a Navy photographer during World War II, Hilton didnt begin working for his fathers company until 1951, after hed made his own fortune in orange juice products, an oil company and an aircraft-leasing business. Hilton also founded the Los Angeles Chargers in the AFL and oversaw the AFL-NFL merger.
William Barron Hilton was born in Dallas in 1927 to Conrad N. Hilton, the founder of Hilton Hotels, and Mary Adelaide Barron.
Hilton challenged his fathers will — arguing the foundations shares of Conrad Hiltons fortune that were being used to help Catholic nuns could leave the company open to a hostile takeover— in 10-year legal battle Read More – Source
