American businessman, developer, politician, and philanthropist (born 1959)
For the founder and chairman of Integra LifeSciences, see
Richard Caruso .
Rick Joseph Caruso (born January 7, 1959)[ 3] is an American billionaire businessman.[ 4] The founder and former chief executive officer of Caruso , an American real-estate company,[ 5] [ 6] he is also the chair of the board of trustees at the University of Southern California . Caruso was previously the president of the Los Angeles Police Commission , a member of the Board of Water and Power Commissioners , and was the runner-up to Karen Bass in the 2022 Los Angeles mayoral election .
Early life and education
Caruso, an Italian American , was born in Los Angeles .[ 7] His father, Henry Caruso , was the founder of Dollar Rent-A-Car and owner of many car dealerships in the Los Angeles area. His mother Gloria was a billboard model in her youth.[ 8] Caruso received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Southern California in 1980 (where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and the Trojan Knights ); and a J.D. from the Pepperdine University School of Law in 1983 as a Margaret Martin Brock Scholar.[ 9] [ 10] [ 11]
Career
Real estate development
Caruso was a real-estate lawyer in the corporate finance department at Finley Kumble .[ 12] In 1987, he founded Caruso, a company that develops, owns and manages properties. He initially purchased parking lots that his father agreed to lease for Dollar Rent-A-Car which he sold when the property rose in value.[ 13] In 1990, he quit law to develop his retail and residential properties full-time.[ 14] [ 15]
His projects include The Grove at Farmers Market in Los Angeles, the Americana at Brand in Glendale, the Commons at Calabasas , the Promenade at Westlake, The Lakes at Thousands Oaks (leased from the City of Thousand Oaks ),[ 16] Waterside Marina del Rey, Palisades Village in Pacific Palisades and the Rosewood Miramar Beach in Santa Barbara.[ 5] [ 12] [ 17] [ 18]
In 2015, Caruso funded a voter initiative to bypass local planning laws and the California Environmental Quality Act in order to build an outdoor mall in Carlsbad, California .[ 19] That initiative passed but a subsequent referendum overturned it and required a public vote – Measure A. The measure failed and the mall construction was blocked.[ 20] All together, Caruso spent $12 million in less than a year on getting the project approved.[ 20] This spending included television ads, mailers, and consulting services.[ 20]
In 2016, the Los Angeles Times reported that Caruso, his affiliates and family, had given more than $476,000 to L.A. city officials over the past five years; during this time Los Angeles City Hall approved numerous building projects.[ 21]
Caruso's company was accused of suppressing free speech over the rejection of an advertisement for a documentary about the Armenian Genocide at the Americana at Brand in 2015 and in 2017. Americana later reversed its advert decision.[ 22] [ 23] [ 24] [ 25]
Public service
In 1985, at the age of 26, Caruso was named by Mayor Tom Bradley to serve as a commissioner for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power ,[ 26] becoming the youngest commissioner in the history of the city.[ 27] [ 28]
In August 2001, Caruso was appointed by Mayor James K. Hahn to the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners [ 29] and was elected its president.[ 27] In this role, he led the selection process that resulted in the hiring of former New York City Police Commissioner William Bratton as the Los Angeles Chief of Police .[ 29]
In 2008, Caruso was elected to serve as a member of the Los Angeles Coliseum Commission ,[ 28] [ 30] which oversees the operations of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and nearby Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena . During his tenure on the commission, Caruso advocated for its reform, including the resignation of its general manager,[ 31] [ 32] and the replacement of the commission itself with a new governing body.[ 33] He advocated a ban on rave parties at the two venues.[ 34] [ 35]
2022 Los Angeles mayoral race
Caruso floated the idea of running for mayor of Los Angeles for the 2009 and 2013 elections,[ 36] though he ultimately did not run.[ 37] [ 38]
In 2019, he expressed interest in running in the 2022 election. He announced his candidacy on February 11, 2022, the day before the filing deadline.[ 39] Caruso spent more than $41 million on his primary campaign, including $39 million of his own money on digital, radio, and television advertising.[ 40] Caruso finished second in the June election to Karen Bass , and faced her in a runoff election on November 8, which Bass won.[ 41] [ 42]
Philanthropy
Caruso Family Foundation
Caruso founded the Caruso Family Foundation, which focuses on organizations that improve the lives of children in need of healthcare and education.[ 43] [ 44]
In addition to USC and Pepperdine, Caruso has made significant donations to Los Angeles academic institutions including Loyola High School and Brentwood School , which 3 of his children attended.[ 45] [ 46] [ 47] [ 48] [ 49]
Law schools
Caruso and his wife, Tina, established the Caruso Loan Forgiveness Fund which covers the law school loan payments for ten years for low-income and other underserved students.[ 50]
In October 2019, he donated $50 million to Pepperdine School of Law, which was renamed in his honor. The gift is directed to historically underrepresented students as well as to students pursuing public interest law.[ 51]
University of Southern California
Caruso's daughter, Gianna "Gigi" Caruso , was born with hearing loss and was treated at USC's Keck School of Medicine . In 2015, Caruso and his wife Tina donated a further $25 million to USC, to endow and name the USC Tina and Rick Caruso Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery.[ 52] [ 53]
The Caruso Catholic Center and Our Savior Parish Church on the USC campus was endowed by and named after Caruso following his contribution of $9 million.[ 54] [ 55]
In 2018, Caruso was elected chairman of USC's board of trustees. On February 15, 2022, he announced that he would be resigning from the position.[ 56]
As the chairman of USC's board of trustees, Caruso was criticized for his handling of the George Tyndall USC sexual abuse scandal, in which a USC gynecologist spent 30 years molesting hundreds of patients, despite complaints dating back to 1991.[ 57] [ 58] [ 59] [ 60] In May 2018, Caruso promised an independent investigation and an accompanying public report, but no report on the investigation has been made public.[ 61] [ 62]
January 2025 Southern California wildfires
In the wake of the January 2025 Southern California wildfires , Caruso became a prominent critic of his former mayoral opponent Karen Bass 's response to the Palisades Fire and advocated for greater firefighting resources.[ 63] [ 64] On January 12, 2025, Caruso and his wife pledged $5 million to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation.[ 65]
Recognition
In 1995, Caruso was named Alumnus of the Year by Pepperdine School of Law.[ 14] He was named by the Los Angeles Business Journal as "Developer of the Year" and its 2012 Ernst & Young LLP Master Entrepreneur of the Year.[ 66] [ 44] [ 43]
He has lectured on real estate issues at the Kennedy School of Public Administration at Harvard University ,[ 67] the USC Price School of Public Policy [ 68] and the Milken Institute Global Conference.[ 69] He has been a guest panelist for the International Council of Shopping Centers .[ 70]
Personal life
Caruso and his wife, Tina, have four children: Alex, Gregory, Justin , and Gianna .[ 3] They live in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles.[ 71] Caruso is a devout Catholic .[ 72]
References
^ Oreskes, Benjamin (January 24, 2022). "Rick Caruso Changes Registration to Democrat as He Weighs a Run for L.A. Mayor" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved January 24, 2022 .
^ Wick, Julia (June 2, 2022). "News Analysis: Rick Caruso was a Republican 3 years ago. Will voters care?" . The Los Angeles Times . Retrieved June 2, 2022 .
^ a b Uribarri, Adrian G. (January 11, 2007). "Developer gets recognition for aid to children" . Los Angeles Times . ISSN 0458-3035 . Retrieved October 6, 2016 .
^ Clendenin, Jay L. (September 20, 2015). "Billionaire developer Rick Caruso, who owns -- among other things -- the Encino Marketplace, the Americana at Brand in Glendale, the Grove and Burton Place Retail Center in Los Angeles, may be one of the candidates in L.A.'s next mayoral election" . Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved September 20, 2015 .
^ a b "Rick J. Caruso, founder and CEO, Caruso Affiliated" . Smart Business. July 1, 2012.
^ Martin Moodie. "Shilla/ARI bid for LAX duty free gets Rick Caruso endorsement" . The Moodie Report. Retrieved May 11, 2013 .
^ " 'I'm Italian': Los Angeles mayoral contender says he's not white" . TheGuardian.com . October 13, 2022.
^ "Gloria and Hank Caruso Had A Romance That Began Like A Scene From A Hollywood Movie" . Los Angeles Times . December 3, 2017. Retrieved March 14, 2019 .
^ "Rick J. Caruso" . USC Price. Retrieved May 11, 2013 .
^ "Distinguished Alumnus Rick J. Caruso Addresses Audience at 33rd Annual Associates Dinner" . Pepperdine University . Retrieved May 11, 2013 .
^ "Admissions" . Pepperdine University . Retrieved May 11, 2013 .
^ a b Meinert, Maya. "Early Developer" . LA Business Journal . Retrieved May 12, 2013 .
^ Vincent, Roger; Hiltzik, Michael (June 4, 2022). "The business of Rick Caruso: How a mayoral candidate amassed his fortune" . Los Angeles Times .
^ a b Moore, Annette (March 8, 2007). "Inside the world's biggest airline merger" . USC News . University of Southern California . Archived from the original on August 26, 2011. Retrieved August 11, 2011 .
^ Morris Newman (November 10, 1998). "Commercial Real Estate: Developer Turns Shopping Malls Into Center of Attention". Los Angeles Times . ProQuest 421342867 .
^ Harris, Mike (December 1, 2021). "Divided Thousand Oaks City Council approves planned six-story apartment complex" . Ventura County Star . Retrieved February 17, 2022 .
^ Vincent, Roger (March 3, 2019). "Grove builder Rick Caruso reimagines Miramar resort with splashes of seaside splendor" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved March 3, 2019 .
^ "Developer Rick Caruso goes small with new Pacific Palisades shopping district" . Los Angeles Times . September 22, 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2019 .
^ Showley, Roger (August 30, 2015). "Caruso project: A model for speedy development?" . San Diego Union Tribune . Retrieved March 18, 2019 .
^ a b c Diehl, Phil (August 11, 2016). "New documents show more Caruso spending" . San Diego Union Tribune . Retrieved March 18, 2019 .
^ Zahniser, David (December 28, 2016). "Political donations flow as Rick Caruso seeks approval for a 20-story tower near the Beverly Center" . L.A. Times . Retrieved March 18, 2019 .
^ "Americana's rejection of ad for documentary about genocide causes controversy" . Glendale News-Press . August 9, 2017. Retrieved February 27, 2021 .
^ "Protesters assemble at Americana after mall's handling of apparel referencing Armenian Genocide" . Glendale News-Press . March 14, 2015. Retrieved June 23, 2020 .
^ Glendale City Council Public Hearing on Americana Genocide Denial , retrieved June 23, 2020
^ "Americana reverses rejection of genocide documentary ad in the wake of controversy" . Glendale News-Press . August 17, 2017. Retrieved June 23, 2020 .
^ "The Linq: Retail Advisors" (PDF) . Caesars Palace . Retrieved May 6, 2013 .
^ a b "Attorney Rick Caruso Unanimously Elected to Head Police Commission" . Metnews.com. August 22, 2001. Retrieved September 3, 2011 .
^ a b Fleischer, Matthew (December 31, 2008). "The Caruso Factor" . Los Angeles Business Journal .
^ a b "Hahn Picks Bratton to Lead Police Force" . Los Angeles Times . October 3, 2002. Retrieved September 3, 2011 .
^ "Coliseum Commission" . Lacoliseumlive.com. September 25, 1945. Retrieved September 3, 2011 .
^ Romero, Dennis (February 9, 2011). "Raves: Rick Caruso Calls for Resignation of Coliseum G.M. Patrick Lynch" . LA Weekly .
^ "Caruso Calls for Resignation of Coliseum Executive Director" . Business Wire . February 9, 2011.
^ Paul Pringle and Andrew Blankstein (September 29, 2011). "Developer Rick Caruso resigns from Coliseum Commission" . Los Angeles Times .
^ Romero, Dennis (February 10, 2011). "Raves: Coliseum Commissioner Rick Caruso Says Rave Ban Back on the Table, Electric Daisy Carnival Still up in the Air" . LA Weekly . Archived from the original on September 13, 2013. Retrieved June 8, 2013 .
^ Romero, Dennis (January 5, 2011). "L.A. Coliseum Commissioner Rick Caruso Likely To Ask For Ban On Raves" . LA Weekly .
^ "Billionaire Rick Caruso announces run for L.A. mayor" . UPI . Retrieved June 8, 2022 .
^ "Developer Rick Caruso says he might run for L.A. mayor" . Los Angeles Times . September 22, 2010.
^ Linthicum, Kate; Zahniser, David (October 12, 2012). "Developer Caruso again decides to bow out of L.A. mayoral race" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved February 12, 2022 .
^ Nieves, Alexander (February 11, 2022). "Billionaire developer Caruso enters Los Angeles mayor's race" . Politico . Retrieved February 12, 2022 .
^ Rainey, James (June 6, 2022). "With unprecedented spending, Caruso is everywhere. Can the billionaire become overexposed?" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved June 8, 2022 .
^ "L.A. mayoral primary turnout rises as Bass widens lead over Caruso" . LA Times . Retrieved July 16, 2022 .
^ Blood, Michael R. (November 16, 2022). "LA elects US Rep Karen Bass mayor, first Black woman in post" . Associated Press . Retrieved November 16, 2022 .
^ a b "Rick Caruso to Receive the 2012 Ernst & Young LLP Master Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award for Greater Los Angeles" . Reuters . May 11, 2012.[dead link ]
^ a b Crowe, Deborah (May 11, 2012). "Caruso Named Ernst & Young LLP Master Entrepreneur of the Year" . Los Angeles Business Journal .
^ "Caruso Family Foundation" . ProPublica.org . ProPublica. May 9, 2013.
^ "Pepperdine School of Law Announces Historic $50 Million Commitment by Alumnus Rick J. Caruso" . Pepperdine.edu . Pepperdine University.
^ LaFuente, Cat (March 22, 2019). "The Untold Truth Of Gigi Caruso" . TheList.com .
^ "BWS Magazine, Spring 2016" . Issuu.com . July 7, 2016.
^ "BWS Magazine, Spring 2017" . Issuu.com . October 2, 2017.
^ Watanabe, Teresa (October 23, 2019). "Billionaire Rick Caruso gives $50 million to Pepperdine law school to expand access for underserved students" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved October 23, 2019 .
^ "Pepperdine School of Law Announces Historic $50 Million Commitment by Alumnus Rick J. Caruso | Pepperdine University" . www.pepperdine.edu . Retrieved February 23, 2020 .
^ "$25 million gift from Tina and Rick Caruso to endow head and neck department" . USC News . University of Southern California . June 5, 2015. Retrieved March 22, 2018 .
^ Schmidt, Ingrid (March 13, 2019). "Lori Loughlin's Daughter Vacationed on Billionaire USC Official's Yacht" . The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved March 14, 2019 . Born with hearing loss, Gigi Caruso was treated by doctors at USC's Keck School of Medicine. In 2015, Rick and Tina Caruso donated $25 million to the school to endow and name it the USC Tina and Rick Caruso Department of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery, known for research and treatment of ear, nose and throat diseases.
^ Smith, Dakota (December 16, 2008). "Ground Blessing Takes Place for New USC Caruso Catholic Center" . Curbed LA .
^ Gordon, Larry (December 9, 2012). "Lavish new church, meeting center to serve USC Catholics" . Los Angeles Times .
^ "2/15- A Message from USC Board of Trustees Chair Rick J. Caruso" . 2022 . February 15, 2022. Retrieved February 18, 2022 .
^ Ryan, Harriet; Hamilton, Matt (April 1, 2019). "How much of USC's sweeping sexual abuse investigation will stay secret?" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved February 17, 2022 .
^ Chi, Lucy; Nafziger, Audrey; Rowland, Allison (October 18, 2021). "USC and prosecutors owe the public a full account of sex abuse inquiries" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved February 17, 2022 .
^ "USC Promised Transparency, So Why Is It Acting 'Like The Kremlin'?" . LAist . August 19, 2019. Retrieved February 18, 2022 .
^ Hamilton, Matt; Ryan, Harriet (December 19, 2018). "Must Reads: How George Tyndall went from USC gynecologist to the center of LAPD's largest-ever sex abuse investigation" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved February 17, 2022 .
^ "Former USC campus gynecologist's accusers call for investigation of top university officials" . Los Angeles Times . October 6, 2021. Retrieved February 18, 2022 .
^ Hamilton, Matt; Harriet, Ryan (March 25, 2021). "USC to pay $1.1 billion to settle decades of sex abuse claims against gynecologist" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved February 17, 2022 .
^ Saul, Derek (January 8, 2025). " 'There's No Water Coming Out Of The Fire Hydrants': Billionaire Caruso Becomes Top L.A. Fires Critic" . Forbes . Retrieved January 10, 2025 .
^ Arango, Tim; Baker, Mike; Bogel-Burroughs, Nicholas (January 9, 2025). " 'Completely Dry': How Los Angeles Firefighters Ran Out of Water" . The New York Times . Retrieved January 10, 2025 .
^ Elex Michaelson [@Elex_Michaelson] (January 12, 2025). ".@RickCarusoLA announces $5 million donation to the L.A. Fire Dept. Foundation" (Tweet ). Retrieved January 12, 2025 – via Twitter .
^ "Executive Profile Rick J. Caruso" . Bloomberg Businessweek . Retrieved May 19, 2012 .[dead link ]
^ "Caruso! Not the singing one. The talking one. Rick Caruso talks more LA" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved May 12, 2013 .
^ "USC 125th Commencement: Speakers at Satellite Ceremonies" (Press release). University of Southern California. Retrieved May 12, 2013 .
^ "Global Conference 2013 – Rick Caruso" . Milken Institute . Retrieved May 12, 2013 .
^ "Saint John's Health Center" . Newstjohns.org. Retrieved May 12, 2013 .
^ "Forbes profile: Rick Caruso" . Forbes . Retrieved May 17, 2020 .
^ "Rick Caruso's USC Mission Has Family Roots" . Caruso . April 2019. Retrieved May 14, 2022 .