ELLEN CARUSO
Group President                                       

Ellen is a graduate of the University of Montana School of Journalism and has been in public relations, association management and government relations since 1969. She is a registered lobbyist and press photographer.

Ellen began her career in Helena, Montana, where she was executive director for a number of trade and professional  societies in her firm, Association Management Services. Her association accounts included the Montana Bar Association, the Montana Association of Life Underwriters, the Montana Water Development Association and the Montana Legal Services Association. From 1969 to 1973, she represented several of these organizations as a registered lobbyist before the Montana Legislature.

In 1973, she moved to Washington, D.C., and was the first Public Relations Director of Northern Virginia Community College's new Loudoun Campus. Returning west in 1975, Caruso was named Director of the University of Colorado at Denver Alumni Association. In this position, she organized UCD's first legislative relations program and served as legislative liaison during three sessions of the Colorado General Assembly.

Ellen returned to private enterprise in 1980. She is an active member of the American Society of Association Executives and is a member and past board member of the Colorado Society of Association Executives. For three consecutive years, she was included in the Denver Business Journal's "Who's Who in Health Care." As an active registered lobbyist in the state of Colorado, she has shepherded several major health care bills through the entire legislative process and through all lengthy and detailed regulatory hearings. At least twice a year she coordinates Congressional lobby missions to our nation's Capitol. 

She has studied association management and she works at serving her association clients well. She knows how to help volunteers reach their goals without "burnout" and do the things they find difficult to do. She knows who the experts in the industry are -- the members themselves -- and she makes sure their expertise is put to good use.

 
FRED CARUSO
Chief Executive Officer      

Fred is CEO of Caruso Group as well as president of Association Insight, Inc., which emphasizes statistical research and planning, and CEO of CGI Books, both subsidiaries of CGI. A graduate of the University of Montana School of Journalism, he has written four books (two on associations) and is a recognized public speaker and group facilitator. His most recent book is, Born Again Irish, a memoir.

Fred began his association management career in 1967 and has worked with many diverse industries including water development, manufactured housing, optometry, architecture, law and life insurance. In 1974, he was one of the first to be recognized in the country as a certified association executive. Fred has been a long time member of the American Society of Association Executives, the Colorado Society of Association Executives, the National Speakers Association, and the Society for International Development. He attended graduate school in Sociology and in 1991 participated in a People to People tour to study economics and the emerging private enterprises in the newly democratized countries of Central Europe. He was recently selected the "Outstanding Association Executive" for the state of Colorado by the Colorado Society of Association Executives.

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KATRINA SMITH
Director, Events & Member Services       

As Director of Member Services, Katrina coordinates and implements programs and events for our corporate and association clients. In addition to planning educational seminars and conferences, she assists with member communications, responds to member queries and works with volunteers at the Board and committee level to maintain member satisfaction.

Katrina holds a BS in Business Administration from the University of Colorado in Denver, Colorado. Her professional background includes 15 years experience in event planning. She has worked in hotel sales and marketing, association management, as well as government and corporate event planning. She has earned her CMP designation and is an active member of PCMA and CSAE.

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SUSAN NOLTE                                
Staff Associate for Finance and Accounting

Susan provides accounting services for Caruso Group International and our association and corporate clients. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Colorado State University and has fifteen years of accounting and administrative experience. 

Her responsibilities include invoicing, processing payments and paying bills, as well as compiling monthly financial  reports for each organization. She assists with the budgeting process and ensures that all accounting records are accurate and up to date. She also works on special projects for our association clients. In her free time she serves as treasurer for the Colorado Masters Swim Association, a part of the United States Masters Swim program.

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Sonja maintains liaison with clients and members, coordinates special events, arranges meetings and helps us keep up with web sites. A native of Colorado Springs, she holds a BA degree in communications from CU Boulder.

Sonja came to Caruso Group through the hospitality industry, having worked 5 years with Holiday Inn World Wide Corporate in Chicago as a regional sales executive; 2 years in Los Angeles with the Southern Pacific Hotel Corp, and 2 years in Vail, Colorado with the Raintree Inn. She is well versed in the needs of meeting attendees and presenters and uses her expertise in fine-tuning our internal programs to all member needs.

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OTHER:                   

Caruso Group International employs part-time clerical, mailing, computer specialists on a per need basis and is proud to be associated with:

• A team of strategic planning and visioning specialists and fund raising and resource development specialists
• An on-call mailing specialist
• Part-time data entry specialists
• A professional lobbyist who provides on-site contract lobbying services. 
• A graphic design specialist who provides logo and graphic design services. 
• A media relations specialist who provides media consulting services. 
• A public accountant who provides accounting consultation and financial oversight. 
• An on call computer and equipment technician.
• A certified public accountant who provides audit functions. 
• Two attorneys who provide legal advice and consultation (Gregory Smith, Burns Wall Smith & Mueller, 303 East 17th Avenue #800, Denver, CO 80203, and Bill Walters, Walters and Associates, 2015 York Street, Denver, CO 80203.) 
• A commercial print shop which provides quality printing and high speed duplicating services.
• A full-service bank which handles our company's funds as well as most of our client accounts (US Bank, 2401 East Arapahoe Rd. at University, Littleton, CO 80122).