What a delight to have Mike Caruso as my guest. I’m the 2022-23 Chairwoman of the Rotary Action Group for Peace, where we encourage Clubs to become Peacebuilder clubs. Mike is the founder of Rotary Peacebuilder Clubs, founded in 2011, in District 5100, which are now in over 450 Rotary Clubs and growing, Mike joined the Newberg noon Rotary club in 2001 having his daughter Amelia as his sponsor.  He retired as senior vice-president of Caruso Produce Inc. in Jan. of 2005, to begin his world peace service through Rotary.

In this Peace Podcast I asked Mike to share his story, which started as a peace core volunteer and all the roles he has had as a Rotarian. His passion for peace is contagious with his vision. His ideas could change the course for peace in the 45,000 world Rotary Clubs. Listen to this Podcast with your Rotary Club and have a discussion with members.

Mike has also participated in the Rotary Foundation’s Major Matching Grant process and helped organize 10 hands-on projects sponsored by the Rotary Club of Newberg in Guatemala consisting of Dental, Medical, Water, Education, Electrical, Construction and Micro-Finance groups beginning in 2004 and continuing to this day.

He served as District Governor in District 5100 during the 2011-12 Rotary year and served for 11 years as the District Rotary Peace Fellowships Sub-Committee Chair and is chair of District 5100 Peacebuilder Clubs committee. In April 2016, he was a delegate at Rotary’s Council on Legislation. 

Mike is the recipient of the Rotary International Service Above Self award as well as the Citation for Meritorious Service. In addition to Guatemala, he has travelled on Rotary business and/or projects to Turkey, Israel, Palestine, Cyprus and Lebanon. He understands the world and sees our vision for peace as the way to enhance Rotary’s 7 Areas of Focus and bring lasting peace to our world.