Ellen Caruso is honored with
“Lifetime Distinguished Service Award.”

Ellen Caruso, president of  the Denver-based meeting and association management Ellen at the Podiumcompany Caruso Group International, has been honored by the 500-member Colorado Society of Association Executives (CSAE) with its “Lifetime Distinguished Service Award.”

 She is only the third person to receive the award from CSAE, which marked its 50th year supporting career association executives and meeting industry professionals from throughout Colorado.

 Caruso Group International serves as the headquarters office and Ellen serves as Executive Director for the Colorado Chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association and the Home Care Association of Colorado, both of which have been with her company since its founding as Caruso Associates in 1980. In her capacity as president of Caruso Group, she leads the association management division which houses an international association, one national and five state-wide organizations. Caruso is a registered lobbyist and devotes much time to government affairs at the state and national levels. The firm also provides meeting managementKaren Wojdyla & EC coordination worldwide to corporations and other associations.

The award was presented at a luncheon meeting by CSAE President Karen Wojdyla. In making the introduction, Wojdyla said Ellen was raised on a Montana cattle ranch and never learned all the things she was not supposed to be able to do as a woman. She graduated from the University of Montana School of Journalism at a time when most girls followed careers in nursing and teaching and became involved in association communications very early in her working career. She has been involved with the association community in Colorado and with the CSAE since she arrived in Colorado in 1975. She started her association management company in 1980.

In making her introduction, CSAE's President said . . .

Ellen Caruso was raised on a Montana cattle ranch where she DID NOT LEARN what a person could not do, and especially things that girls couldn’t do. She grew up NOT knowing any different. She rode horses like the cowboys. She drove tractors and hay machines just like the guys did.

 And besides NOT LEARNING what she couldn’t do, she DID LEARN that if you want something bad enough, you had better not depend on someone else to make it easy for you. When she wanted to ride a horse, she had to catch the horse herself, even if it took all day. And sometimes it would take the best part of a day to catch her pony!

 One thing she did know from an early age was that she couldn’t stay on the ranch for ever. She had to go out in the big wide world and make her own career. A high school teacher noticed that she could write and encouraged her to use that skill. She chose the route of journalism at a time when the only two options for western women going to college seemed to be either teaching or nursing.

 By time she got to the University of Montana School of Journalism at Missoula, she had dreams of being a free-wheeling foreign correspondent, traveling Europe in a red sports convertible. She even went so far as to minor in French in pursuit of that dream, even though her route took a few detours.

 Writing and communications are essential association management skills and her diverse career  made use good use of her talents. She married a fellow journalism student who was, in fact, a foreign correspondent prior to his returning to college. That fellow, who most of us know, fell into a career of association management immediately upon graduating from journalism school. Ellen started a close and parallel path, gaining plenty of experience in journalistic arts and association work in Montana, Washington, D.C. and Colorado.

 In 1980, some 25 years ago, she started her own association management company in Denver. It was a one person shop at the start and, she is proud to say, more than half of her business today consists of clients that have been with her and have grown with her for the entire time. Her firm, Caruso Group International, manages one international association, one national and five state associations. In addition, her firm works with two international travel affiliates and manages corporate and association meetings. As a long-time registered lobbyist, Ellen has made government affairs an important and integral service for her clients. Her husband, Fred, also a career association executive, joined her firm in 1992.

 Ellen Caruso spends much of her free time in South West County Cork Ireland where she and Fred travel “incognito”, using the surname, the “O’Carusos.” They still pursue the adventure side of life. They both hold dual U.S. and Irish citizenship, thanks to Ellen’s Irish grand mother, and enjoy the freedom to work from and throughout all of the European community.

 Ellen still does a lot of writing, but has yet to get that red sports car. With two lovely daughters, both adventurers and world travelers, now both married and settled in Colorado, and with two beautiful grand daughters, one four years old and one brand new, that red sports car isn’t as much a concern as it used to be. But there is always next summer for that sports car.

 Ellen’s work in association management has led her to today’s award: A lifetime of commitment and dedication to working with associations. She has been a part of the Denver association community and CSAE literally since her arrival in 1975 and will continue to be a part of the association community in the years ahead.

 What keeps her going and moving ahead? Even though she works with many associations and many more association leaders, it is her commitment to make this world a better place, one association and one association leader at a time! 

It is my pleasure to introduce, Ellen Caruso.

 In accepting her award, Ellen responded:

WOW! It’s hard to believe that I’ve spent a lifetime doing anything – especially this profession that most of my family and friends can’t figure out and consider quite odd – called, "association management."

 When I think back on those wonderful days on the ranch – I know that most days – by the end of the day – I was in the saddle. (I think that by about 4 o’clock in the afternoon my little pony Lady Bug decided it was time to play fair…) It’s much like at the end of most days working in association management.

 If we have used all our skills (including being a good listener, compromising, understanding and negotiating;) If we’ve done what’s right for the members who pay their hard earned money into the association; If we’ve done what’s right for the vendors who support the association; If we’ve helped our volunteer leaders do what they can’t do by themselves; If we’ve told the real story to the media and the legislature. Then we will end up in the saddle at day’s end. And that’s a great accomplishment – just like when I was 6 years old.

 I am truly honored to accept this award from my association, CSAE, and I do so on behalf of all those Colorado execs whom I admire so much – many of you in this room today. Thank you.

 I want to give a special acknowledgement to my Caruso Group Team for keeping things humming along all of the time, and the leprechaun whom I met mysteriously 39 years ago and has been at my side ever since. Fred, you have picked me up when I got bucked off a few times. Thank you;

 I will leave you with an Irish Blessing:

 MAY THERE ALWAYS be work

For your hands to do…
May your purse always hold
A coin or two…
May the sun always shine
On your windowpane
May a rainbow be certain
To follow each rain…
May the hand of a friend
Always be near you
May God fill your heart
With gladness to cheer you.

The luncheon attended by some two hundred association managers and staff at the Inverness Resort Hotel. She was joined at the luncheon by her staff:

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Caruso Group International
7400 East Arapahoe Road #211
Centennial, CO 80112-1361, USA
Phone: 303-694-4728 ~ FAX: 303-694-4869
E-mail: mail@carusogroup.com

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